boy

BOY, noun [Latin puer for puger, for we see by puella, that r is not radical. So the Gr. probably is contracted, for the derivative verb, forms.] A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; but in general, applied to males under ten or twelve years of age; a lad. Sometimes it is used in contempt for a young man, indicating immaturity, want of vigor or judgment. BOY, verb transitive To treat as a boy Rather, to act as a boy; to imitate a boy in action. The passage in Shakespeare, in which this word is found, is supposed to allude to the practice of boys acting women's parts on the stage. I shall see some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness.