good old boy
Americannoun
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a male who embodies the unsophisticated good fellowship and sometimes boisterous sociability regarded as typical of white males of small towns and rural areas of the South.
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a person who belongs to a network of friends and associates with close ties of loyalty and mutual support.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of good old boy
First recorded in 1970–75
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“There’s the good old boy system, and we’re not a part of it,” one trooper, who remained anonymous, told the station in 2021.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 16, 2022
McShane plays Ben as a cordial, chuckling good old boy, with a smile that doesn’t quite cover the ice in his heart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2018
The star, beloved for playing good old boy "Bo" Duke, earned a score of 18 out of 30 for his foxtrot with pro partner Emma Slater, in a tie for sixth place.
From Fox News ● Sep. 25, 2018
“To most people who even pay attention, they are just going to say, ‘This is just the good old boy network in South Carolina,’ ” he said.
From New York Times ● Oct. 16, 2012
“Now,” said Archie, “be a good old boy, Bob; and if you want any more money, just ask nicely, and perhaps you’ll have it.”
From From Squire to Squatter A Tale of the Old Land and the New by Stables, Gordon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
