Boy bishop

Boy bishop
Boy Boy, n. [Cf. D. boef, Fries. boi, boy; akin to G. bube, Icel. bofi rouge.] 1. A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; a lad; hence, a son. [1913 Webster]

My only boy fell by the side of great Dundee. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]

Note: Boy is often used as a term of comradeship, as in college, or in the army or navy. In the plural used colloquially of members of an associaton, fraternity, or party. [1913 Webster]

2. In various countries, a male servant, laborer, or slave of a native or inferior race; also, any man of such a race; -- considered derogatory by those so called, and now seldom used. [derog.]

He reverted again and again to the labor difficulty, and spoke of importing boys from Capetown. --Frances Macnab. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

{Boy bishop}, a boy (usually a chorister) elected bishop, in old Christian sports, and invested with robes and other insignia. He practiced a kind of mimicry of the ceremonies in which the bishop usually officiated.

{The Old Boy}, the Devil. [Slang]

{Yellow boys}, guineas. [Slang, Eng.]

{Boy's love}, a popular English name of Southernwood ({Artemisia abrotonum}); -- called also {lad's love}.

{Boy's play}, childish amusements; anything trifling. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Boy bishop — was a name given to a custom very widespread in the Middle Ages, whereby a boy was chosen, for example among cathedral choristers, to parody the real Bishop, commonly on the feast of Holy Innocents. This custom was linked with others, such as… …   Wikipedia

  • Boy-Bishop — • The custom of electing a boy bishop on the feast of St. Nicholas dates from very early times, and was in vogue in most Catholic countries, but chiefly in England Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Boy Bishop     Boy Bishop …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • boy bishop — noun A mock bishop formerly elected by choirboys or schoolboys, in office from St Nicholas s to Holy Innocents Day (6–28 December) • • • Main Entry: ↑boy …   Useful english dictionary

  • boy bishop — ▪ medieval custom       boy chosen to act as bishop in connection with the Feast of the Holy Innocents (Holy Innocents, Feast of the) on December 28, in a custom widespread in Europe during the Middle Ages. In England, where the practice was most …   Universalium

  • Boy bishop — In the lead up to the *Feast of Fools, minor clerics and choir boys conducted services and other roles of senior churchmen. The boy bishop was the choir boy who was elected to be bishop on St Nicholas s Day, 6 December …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • BOY BISHOP —    a boy chosen on 6th December, St. Nicholas Day, generally out of the choir, to act as bishop and do all his episcopal duties, except celebrate mass. For the term of his office, which varied, he was treated as bishop, and if he died during his… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Boy — Boy, n. [Cf. D. boef, Fries. boi, boy; akin to G. bube, Icel. bofi rouge.] 1. A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; a lad; hence, a son. [1913 Webster] My only boy fell by the side of great Dundee. Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster] Note: Boy …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Boy's love — Boy Boy, n. [Cf. D. boef, Fries. boi, boy; akin to G. bube, Icel. bofi rouge.] 1. A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; a lad; hence, a son. [1913 Webster] My only boy fell by the side of great Dundee. Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster] Note …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Boy's play — Boy Boy, n. [Cf. D. boef, Fries. boi, boy; akin to G. bube, Icel. bofi rouge.] 1. A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; a lad; hence, a son. [1913 Webster] My only boy fell by the side of great Dundee. Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster] Note …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Boy — For other uses, see Boy (disambiguation). Boyhood redirects here. For other uses, see Boyhood (disambiguation) …   Wikipedia

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