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.
-
a person who belongs to a network of friends and associates with close ties of loyalty and mutual support.
Other Word Forms
- good old boyism noun
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.
And a run-in with racist good old boys, inspiring a Reba McEntire cover of the film’s theme song, makes for another memorable scene.
From New York Times
Other employees reported discrimination against women who were pregnant and a persistent “good old boys club” that blocked others from opportunity.
From Seattle Times
When Lorraine first meets Indira, several episodes before she sits down with those good old boys, all she can see is a civil servant in debt up to her eyeballs.
From Salon
Mr. Gallego said that if the military appears as “like a good old boys network,” it’s less likely to get some qualified people.
From Washington Times
Her unorthodox methods cost her important committee posts, but Schroeder said she wasn’t willing to join what she called “the good old boys’ club″ just to score political points.
From Seattle Times
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.
