English Online Dictionary. What means guy? What does guy mean?
English
Pronunciation
- enPR: gī, IPA(key): /ɡaɪ/
- (US, Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): [ɡaɪ]
- (Standard Southern British) IPA(key): [ɡɑj]
- (Canada) IPA(key): [ɡaɪ]
- (dialectal) IPA(key): [ɡəj]
- (General Australian) IPA(key): [ɡɑɪ]
- (US, Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): [ɡaɪ]
- Rhymes: -aɪ
Etymology 1
Coined by semantic widening from the name of Guy Fawkes (1570–1606), an English Catholic executed for his role in the Gunpowder Plot, from Old French Gui, a form of Proto-Germanic *Wido, a short form of names beginning with the element witu "wood" from Proto-Germanic *widuz, such as Witold and Widukind. Cognate with Italian Guido.
Noun
guy (plural guys)
- (UK, Ireland) An effigy of a man burned on a bonfire on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot (5th November).
- (dated) A person of eccentric appearance or dress; a "fright".
- (colloquial) A man or boy; a fellow.
- Synonyms: dude, fella, homey, bro, bloke, chap; see also Thesaurus:man
- Coordinate terms: gal, broad, dame, girl, jane, woman, bird, chick
- (especially in the plural, often controversial) A person (see usage notes).
- (colloquial) Anything seen to have character and personality, such as an animal or a toy.
- (informal, term of address) Buster, Mack, fella, bud, man.
- (colloquial) Thing, item (term that can be used to refer to any entity)
Usage notes
- In plural, guys may not be completely gender-neutral, but it may refer to people of any gender in some circumstances and forms; the greeting “Hey guys”, or any vocative utterance, can generally refer to people of any gender (although this use can be controversial). Referring to a group as “guys” often means a group of men or a mixed-gender group, though usage among American youth may even refer to groups of only women.
- When used of animals, guy usually refers to either a male or one whose gender is not known; it is rarely if ever used of an animal that is known to be female. The matching term for a female is gal.
- In some varieties of US and Canadian English, you guys revives the distinction between a singular and plural you, much like y'all or yous in other varieties; in this sense, guys may be used for groups of any combination of genders. Cf. usage notes at you guys.
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
guy (third-person singular simple present guys, present participle guying, simple past and past participle guyed)
- (intransitive) To exhibit an effigy of Guy Fawkes around the 5th November.
- (transitive) To make fun of, to ridicule with wit or innuendo.
- (theater, transitive) To play in a comedic manner.
References
- Guy Fawkes created the word guy, Adam Taylor, Nov 5, 2013, Business insider.
Etymology 2
From Old French guie, linked to verb guier (“guide”), from Frankish *wītan, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *wītaną (“know”). Cognate with English guide.
Noun
guy (plural guys or (obsolete) guies)
- (obsolete, rare) A guide; a leader or conductor.
- (chiefly nautical) A support rope or cable used to aid in hoisting or lowering.
- (chiefly nautical) A support to secure or steady structures prone to shift their position or be carried away (e.g. the mast of a ship or a suspension bridge).
Holonyms
- (nautical): cordage
Derived terms
- guy rope
- guy wire
Translations
Verb
guy (third-person singular simple present guys, present participle guying, simple past and past participle guyed)
- To equip with a support cable.
Translations
See also
- gal
References
- “guy”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
- William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “guy”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
Anagrams
- yug
Dutch
Etymology
Borrowed from English guy.
Noun
guy m (plural guys, diminutive guytje n)
- (slang) guy
- Synonyms: gozer, gast, kerel, sjarel
- Die guy aan de deur is geloof ik helemaal geen bouncer. ― I don't think that guy at the door is a bouncer at all.
See also
- boy
Wolof
Etymology
Related to buy (“baobab fruit”).
Pronunciation
Noun
guy (definite form guy gi)
- baobab