BOY, n. L. 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, 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.
The King James Bible has stood its ground for nearly 400 years. However, during that time the English language has changed, and with it the meanings of some words it used. Here are more than 6,500 words whose definitions have changed since 1611.Wikipedia
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