Boy Scout
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noun
a member of an organization of boys (Boy Scouts ), founded in England in 1908 by Lieutenant General 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.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Origin of Boy Scout
First recorded in 1905–10
usage note for Boy Scout
Use of boy scout to mean “someone who is obliging and idealistic” usually implies that the person is naive or unworldly.
Words nearby Boy Scout
Boynton Beach, boyo, Boyoma Falls, boy racer, Boys' Brigade, Boy Scout, Boy Scouts of America, boysenberry, boy shorts, Boys will be boys, boysy
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use Boy Scout in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for Boy Scout
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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