good old boy

English

Alternative forms

• good ol' boy, good ole boy

Pronunciation

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Noun

good old boy (plural good old boys)

1. A male friend or chum, especially a schoolmate; a man with an established network of friends who assist one another in social and business situations; a decent, dependable fellow.
   • 1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 5, in Active Service:

     "Billie, what kind of a lad is that young Coke up at Washurst?" He addressed an old college friend. . . .
     "He's one of those Ohio Cokes—regular thing—father millionaire—used to be a barber—good old boy."

   • 1910, H. Rider Haggard, chapter 7, in Queen Sheba's Ring:

     Tell these fellows to say to their Sultan that he is a good old boy, and that we thank him very much.

3. (sometimes derogatory) A white man who embodies the culture stereotypically associated with the Southern US, such as bias against nonwhite people, and other conservative attitudes.
   • 1973, "Quick Cuts" (film review), Time, 24 Sep.:

     "White Lightning" concerns a good old boy named Gator McKluskey (Burt Reynolds) who is serving time in the Arkansas pen for messing around with illegal liquor.

   • 1984 August 18, R. L. Richardson, “Women In Cages”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 6, page 7:

     The Texas Department of "Corrections" is the largest state prison system in this country, with more than 20 separate units housing upwards of 35,000 prisoners. The system is run by a network of "good old boys," and its policies are a direct reflection of their personal morals and values, so homophobia is the rule rather than the exception.

Synonyms

• (male friend): buddy, pal

Coordinate terms

• (friendly, unambitious white man in rural southern US): bubba, cracker, redneck
• (unsophisticated resident of a rural area): yokel

Derived terms

• good old boydom
• good old boyhood
• good old boyism
• good old boyness
• good old boy network

See also

• old boy

References

• “good old boy”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.