guy

guy

synonyms, antonyms, definitions, examples & translations of guy in English

English Online Dictionary. What means guy‎? What does guy mean?

English

Pronunciation

  • enPR: , 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)

  1. (Britain) An effigy of a man burned on a bonfire on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot (5th November).
  2. (dated) A person of eccentric appearance or dress; a "fright".
  3. (colloquial) A man or boy, fellow.
    Synonyms: dude, fella, homey, bro, bloke, chap; see also Thesaurus:man
    Coordinate terms: gal, broad, dame, girl, jane, woman, bird, chick
  4. (especially in the plural) A person (see usage notes).
  5. (colloquial, usually referring to animals) Character, personality (not referring to an actual person, but assigning personality to the referent)
  6. (informal, term of address) Buster, Mack, fella, bud, man.
  7. (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. 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)

  1. (intransitive) To exhibit an effigy of Guy Fawkes around the 5th November.
  2. (transitive) To make fun of, to ridicule with wit or innuendo.
  3. (theater, transitive) To play in a comedic manner.

References

  • Guy Fawkes create 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 (nonstandard) guies)

  1. (obsolete, rare) A guide; a leader or conductor.
  2. (chiefly nautical) A support rope or cable used to aid in hoisting or lowering.
  3. (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)

  1. To equip with a support cable.
Translations

See also

  • gal

References

  • “guy”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
  • “guy”, in The Century Dictionary [], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

  • yug

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English guy.

Noun

guy m (plural guys, diminutive guytje n)

  1. (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)

  1. baobab

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This article based on an article on Wiktionary. The list of authors can be seen in the page history there. The original work has been modified. This article is distributed under the terms of this license.