callboy

American  

[kawl-boi] / ˈkɔlˌbɔɪ /

noun

1. a boy or man who summons actors, as from their dressing rooms, shortly before they are due to go on stage.

2. a bellhop.

3. Also call boy a male prostitute who arranges appointments with clients by telephone.

4. Railroads Slang. Also call-boy, call boy a railroad employee responsible for ensuring that members of a train crew are on hand for their regular runs and for notifying them of an extra run.

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callboy British  

/ ˈkɔːlˌbɔɪ /

noun

1. a person who notifies actors when it is time to go on stage

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Etymology

Origin of callboy

First recorded in 1835–45; call + boy

Example Sentences

He is a plain, blunt man who started his career as a callboy, vaguely resembles John L. Lewis, is publicly crotchety and privately pleasant.

From Time Magazine Archive

British-born King began his 60-year career in the theater at the age of 14 as a callboy, and by 1925 achieved matinee-idol status portraying Fran�ois Villon in Rudolf Friml's musical The Vagabond King.

From Time Magazine Archive

He earned his spending money as a newsboy, a railroad callboy, a freight hustler, a farm hand and a cub reporter on the Bakersfield Californian.

From Time Magazine Archive

Henry Clay French was an orphan who got a job as callboy on the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad in Kansas City back in 1873.

From Time Magazine Archive

The curtain's up!" cried the callboy in cracked and long-drawn accents "The curtain's up!

From Four Short Stories By Emile Zola by Zola, Émile