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

"Come," said the huge Whiteboy, "make up your mind; I won't weet another minute."

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

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 Godkin, Edwin Lawrence

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 Carleton, William

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 Childers, Erskine

We did not remain long, however, at Kilkenny, but moved on to Fermoy, and thence to Newcastle, in the county of Limerick, the cradle of the Whiteboy insurrection.

From Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade by Surtees, William