Boy Scout
- a member of an organization of boys (Boy Scouts), founded in England in 1908 by Lieut. Gen. Sir Robert S. S. Baden-Powell, that seeks to develop certain skills in its members, as well as character, self-reliance, and usefulness to others.
- (lowercase) a member of any similar society elsewhere.
- (lowercase) Sometimes Disparaging. a person whose deeds, obliging personality, idealism, etc., exceed normal expectations.
Show More
Origin of Boy Scout
First recorded in 1905–10
Usage note
Use of boy scout to mean ‘someone who is obliging and idealistic’ usually implies that the person is naive or unworldly.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
crediblesensibleethicalauthoritativeauthenticaccurateresponsibleconvincinghonestrealisticdependablematurebelievableuprighthonorableprincipledtruthfuldetectiveforcemanExamples from the Web for boy scout
Historical Examples
Some of them were in Indian garb, with tomahawks; others in boy-scout hats, as pilgrims.
The CricketMarjorie Cooke
There is much to commend the boy-scout movement as a country organization.
Farm Boys and GirlsWilliam Arch McKeever
Every boy ought to have, as he takes up his boy-scout work, a thorough medical examination.
Boy Scouts HandbookBoy Scouts of America
Her name was entered on the form and the boy-scout disappeared to call at other houses.
Winnie, Lady Widelands (grandmother of the hero of the night) was enormously admired as a boy-scout.
boy scout
- See Scout
- US and Canadian informal an apparently virtuous and innocent person
Show More
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012