cowboy

[kou-boi] /ˈkaʊˌbɔɪ/
noun
1.
a man who herds and tends cattle on a ranch, especially in the western U.S., and who traditionally goes about most of his work on horseback.
2.
a man who exhibits the skills attributed to such cowboys, especially in rodeos.
3.
Chiefly Northeastern U.S. a reckless or speedy automobile driver.
4.
Informal. a reckless or irresponsible person, especially a show-off or one who undertakes a dangerous or sensitive task heedlessly:
They put foreign policy in the hands of cowboys.
5.
(during the American Revolution) a member of a pro-British guerrilla band that operated between the American and British lines near New York City.
verb (used without object)
6.
to work as a cowboy.
Origin
1715-25; cow1 + boy
Examples from the web for cowboy
  • Soon afterwards one of the cowboy's own horses strayed.
  • The revitalized railway featured vintage trains and cowboy-style entertainment.
  • And, if you're lucky, you'll leave with a new affinity for cowboy boots and leggings.
  • Locals worry about the precious, dwindling cowboy culture.
  • He was pretty certain, too, that a cowboy losing a button would feel disinclined to sew it on again.
  • He wears a cowboy hat and talks with an accent that outsiders find nearly impenetrable.
  • Those who are prepared to take the risk tend to be of the cowboy variety.
  • He considers himself a businessman first and a cowboy second.
  • The cowboy's hands are rough, calloused, and rarely resting.
  • In windy areas, a stiff gale can knock a flat hat off a cowboy's head, so he may prefer the steadier taco hat.
British Dictionary definitions for cowboy

cowboy

/ˈkaʊˌbɔɪ/
noun
1.
Also called cowhand. a hired man who herds and tends cattle, usually on horseback, esp in the western US
2.
a conventional character of Wild West folklore, films, etc, esp one involved in fighting Indians
3.
(informal)
  1. a person who is an irresponsible or unscrupulous operator in business
  2. (as modifier): cowboy contractors, cowboy shop steward
4.
(Austral) a man or boy who tends cattle
Derived Forms
cowgirl, noun:feminine
Word Origin and History for cowboy
n.

1725, "boy who tends to cows," from cow (n.) + boy. Sense in Western U.S. is from 1849; in figurative use by 1942 for "brash and reckless young man" (as an adjective meaning "reckless," from 1920s). Cowhand is first attested 1852 in American English (see hand (n.)). Cowpoke (said to be 1881, not in popular use until 1940s) was said to be originally restricted to the cowboys who prodded cattle onto railroad cars with long poles.

Slang definitions & phrases for cowboy

cowboy

noun
  1. A reckless driver or pilot: City Subway Mishaps Attributed To Speeding ''Cowboy'' Motormen/ a pilot with a history of recklessness and a reputation as a ''cowboy'' (1920s+)
  2. The king of a suit of playing cards (1940s+ Gambling)
  3. A violent gun-brandishing criminal: apparently the same cowboy, a young punk with a Fu Manchu mustache, waving a nickel-plated pistol (1920s+ Underworld)
verb

To murder recklessly and openly: even if we had to cowboy them (which) means that we were to kill them any place we found them even if it was in the middle of Broadway (1920s+ Underworld)

Related Terms

drugstore cowboy


cowboy in Technology


[Sun, from William Gibson's cyberpunk SF] Synonym for hacker. It is reported that at Sun this word is often said with reverence.
[Jargon File]