Whiteboys

American  

[hwahyt-boiz, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪtˌbɔɪz, ˈwaɪt- /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. a secret agrarian peasant organization, active in Ireland during the early 1760s, whose members wore white shirts for recognition on their night raids to destroy crops, barns, and other property in redressing grievances against landlords and protesting the paying of tithes.

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Etymology

Origin of Whiteboys

white + boy + -s ³

Example Sentences

This, however, having been heavily chained, barred, and bolted, and the keys removed to Mr. O'Driscol's sleeping-room, resisted all attempts of the Whiteboys to enter—a circumstance which filled them with fury and indignation.

From The Tithe-Proctor The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two by Carleton, William

Ribbons I can understand, Whiteboys, Rightboys, Threshers, and Peep-o'-day, but Unicorns I never heard of before.

From The Unicorn from the Stars and Other Plays by Gregory, Lady

Some were afraid he'd give up the names of the other Whiteboys; but he did not.

From Poets and Dreamers Studies and translations from the Irish by Gregory, Lady

Before the Nationalists we had the Fenians, the Whiteboys, the Ribbon-men, the United Irishmen, the Defenders, the goodness-knows-what, running back in continuous line up to the dawn of history.

From Ireland as It Is And as It Would be Under Home Rule by Buckley, Robert John

I can imagine the representative of the Daily Mail finding material for very few sensational headlines in the Whiteboys Insurrection.

From The Reminiscences of an Irish Land Agent by Gordon, Home, Sir, Bart.