cowboy
a man who herds and tends cattle on a ranch, especially in the western U.S., and who traditionally goes about most of his work on horseback.
a man who exhibits the skills attributed to such cowboys, especially in rodeos.
Chiefly Northeastern U.S. a reckless or speedy automobile driver.
Informal. a reckless or irresponsible person, especially a show-off or one who undertakes a dangerous or sensitive task heedlessly: They put foreign policy in the hands of cowboys.
(during the American Revolution) a member of a pro-British guerrilla band that operated between the American and British lines near New York City.
to work as a cowboy.
Origin of cowboy
1Words Nearby cowboy
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use cowboy in a sentence
The cowboy, setting out alone across the landscape, accompanied only by his faithful horse and his ten-gallon hat.
While some TikTok users lean toward humor — such as the family dancing on a frozen pool or the man who invented a shovel-themed dance in the snow, which he performs in his underwear and a cowboy hat — others are showing the harsh conditions.
Salsa made with a drill, and more: TikTok offers glimpses of life during the Texas storm | Travis Andrews | February 18, 2021 | Washington PostAs Dwight Eisenhower watched his inaugural parade from a reviewing stand in 1953, he was lassoed like a runaway steer by a cowboy movie star.
A presidential inauguration for the history books | Marylou Tousignant | January 20, 2021 | Washington PostIn the footage, Kawaski Trawick is walking through the hallway of his apartment building in his underwear, a fitted sleeveless jacket and cowboy boots.
It Wasn’t the First Time the NYPD Killed Someone in Crisis. For Kawaski Trawick, It Only Took 112 Seconds. | by Eric Umansky | December 4, 2020 | ProPublicaBilly Joe talked the way a modern cowboy would speak, if he stepped out of the West and lived today.
Billy Joe Shaver, singer-songwriter who inspired outlaw country, dies at 81 | Terence McArdle | October 29, 2020 | Washington Post
Thus it attracted a wave of cowboy operators to fly passengers and cargo between cities.
This explains the crumpled look of his beautiful red velvet suit paired with cowboy boots and a flowery style shirt.
Dodo Bones and Kylie’s Poo: Inside London’s Strangest New Museum | Liza Foreman | November 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd he had a cowboy hat that he liked touching, too—he smoothed the brim back like it was a ducktail haircut.
The Stacks: Pete Dexter on What It’s Like to Lose the Knack of Having Fun | Pete Dexter | September 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe notion of a “spread”—the mythical Texas ranch that every Texas cowboy hopes for—fueled his imagination.
‘The Harness Maker’s Dream:’ The Unlikely Ranch King of Texas | Nick Kotz | September 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTGeorge W. Bush is six feet even before slipping on the cowboy boots.
For Short Men in 2014, The News Is Surprisingly Good | Kevin Bleyer | September 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTMr. Nelson elected to ride horseback with Andy Rawlinson, which was the name of the good-looking cowboy.
The Outdoor Girls in the Saddle | Laura Lee Hope"Anyway, git that out of your head about Morgan's ranch never havin' any visitors," said another cowboy.
Mystery Ranch | Arthur Chapman"Two of them," he thought exultantly, as he held himself and the cowboy against the trunk of a tree.
The Outdoor Girls in the Saddle | Laura Lee HopeHe had struck up quite a liking for the head cowboy, and the two walked along together.
The Outdoor Girls in the Saddle | Laura Lee Hope"I'll send the guns over to Levine's office to-morrow," answered the head cowboy.
The Outdoor Girls in the Saddle | Laura Lee Hope
British Dictionary definitions for cowboy
/ (ˈkaʊˌbɔɪ) /
Also called: cowhand a hired man who herds and tends cattle, usually on horseback, esp in the western US
a conventional character of Wild West folklore, films, etc, esp one involved in fighting Indians
informal
a person who is an irresponsible or unscrupulous operator in business
(as modifier): cowboy contractors; cowboy shop steward
Australian a man or boy who tends cattle
Derived forms of cowboy
- cowgirl, fem n
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
Browse