boy
gb/bˈɔɪ/ us/bˈɔɪ/
A1
English
~ 500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
A male child or youth
A child who is male.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a boy
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'boy' with 'guy' or 'man'. 'Boy' usually means a child, not an adult male.
Synonyms
lad (More common in British English; slightly informal.)
|
youth (Refers to a young person, but can be more formal or general.)
Antonyms
girl (Refers to a female child, opposite in gender.)
Collocations
young boy
|little boy
|school boy
|teenage boy
|baby boy
Themes
family
|daily life
|people
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The boy ran across the playground to join his friends.
- She has a seven-year-old boy who loves soccer.
- That boy is very good at math.
- The boy smiled when he saw the puppy.
- A group of boys were playing near the river.
Learner examples
- The boy is in the park.
- I see a boy with a red hat.
- That boy is my friend.
- The boy is happy.
- A boy is playing with a ball.
Noun
informal
B1
entity
2
Adult male friend or companion
An informal word for a man who is your friend.
Usage pattern:
[someone] and the boys
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'boys' in this sense means children; in informal speech it often means adult male friends.
Synonyms
guys (More general; can refer to both men and women informally.)
Collocations
the boys
|my boys
|hang with the boys
Themes
friendship
|social life
|relationships
|communication
|daily_life
Examples
- I'm going out with the boys tonight.
- He and the boys are watching the game.
- The boys are planning a fishing trip next weekend.
Learner examples
- I will meet the boys after work.
- He plays cards with the boys.
- We watch football with the boys.
Noun
informal
B1
entity
3
'Boy' as an exclamation
Used to show strong feeling like surprise or excitement.
Usage pattern:
'Oh boy' [clause]
Common mistake:
Learners might confuse this with referring to a male child; here it is just an exclamation.
Synonyms
wow (Similar expression of surprise but more neutral in formality.)
Collocations
oh boy
Themes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Oh boy, that was a close game!
- Boy, am I glad to see you!
- Boy, this cake tastes amazing!
Learner examples
- Oh boy, this is fun!
- Boy, I am tired!
- Boy, that car is fast!
Grammar
Expressions
boys will be boys
1/bˈɔɪz wˈɪl bˈi bˈɔɪz/
idiom
Accepting typical male behavior
People say this when they accept that men or boys sometimes behave in silly or rough ways.
Examples
- Don't worry about the mess — boys will be boys.
- He got into trouble again, but boys will be boys.
like a boy in a candy store
1/lˈaɪk ə bˈɔɪ ˈɪn ə kˈændi stˈɔɹ/
idiom
informal
Very excited about many options
Feeling very happy and excited because there are many things you like around you.
Examples
- He was like a boy in a candy store when he saw all the new gadgets.
- She walked into the library like a boy in a candy store.
oh boy
1/ˈoʊ bˈɔɪ/
fixed phrase
informal
'Oh boy' to show emotion
Used to show you are excited, happy, worried, or surprised.
Examples
- Oh boy, this is going to be fun!
- Oh boy, I forgot my keys again.
oh boy
1/ˈoʊ bˈɔɪ/
fixed phrase
informal
excitement or dread
We say “oh boy” when we feel excited or when we expect problems.
Examples
- Oh boy! We’re going to Disneyland tomorrow.
- Oh boy, here we go again.
- Oh boy, this is going to be a long meeting.