Whiteboy

British  

/ ˈwaɪtbɔɪ /

noun

1. Irish history a member of a secret society of violent agrarian protest, formed around 1760

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Etymology

Origin of Whiteboy

C18: adopted from the earlier use of the phrase as a term of endearment for a boy or man

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Whiteboy

In Munster, in 1833, out of 973 crimes, 627 were Whiteboy, or agrarian, and even of the remainder, many, being crimes of violence, were probably committed from the same motive.

From Handbook of Home Rule Being articles on the Irish question by Edwin Lawrence Godkin

She had unconsciously paused a moment when the Whiteboy, as she believed him to be, first made his appearance, but now she pursued her way home, the latter, however, accompanying her.

From The Tithe-Proctor The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two by William Carleton

The tithe system was another all but unendurable burden, and it was against the tithe proctors that the worst of the Whiteboy outrages were committed.

From The Story of Ireland by Emily Lawless

The few Catholic noblemen outdid the Protestants in expressions of devotion; the Whiteboy risings were as little disloyal as religious.

From The Framework of Home Rule by Erskine Childers

The Whiteboy risings of the sixties and seventies recurred, and were met with Coercion Acts as stupid and cruel as those of the nineteenth century.

From The Framework of Home Rule by Erskine Childers