water boy

American  

noun

1. a person who carries a canteen or bucket of drinking water to those too occupied to fetch it, as to soldiers, laborers, or football players.

2. a person who sees that livestock is supplied with water, as by filling water troughs.

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Etymology

Origin of water boy

First recorded in 1630–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

water boy

If it was anyone else on Sunday behaving and performing like he did Erik ten Hag would have sent them to be the water boy for the under-18s!

From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2024

He drove the golf carts, acted as a water boy, and looked like he had a blast.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 2, 2023

Petitbon was the water boy on his brothers’ squads, including when they attended Gonzaga in Northwest Washington, where Petitbon wore a purple-and-white wig to games.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 3, 2022

Todd Haley, who would go on to become an NFL head coach, was a Steelers water boy in that game, as his father, Dick, was the team’s top personnel executive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 8, 2022

I looked back at Dad and told him calmly, “I’m not a water boy, Dad. I’m not a team manager. I’m a player.”

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor