| 释义 |
old boy
[f. old a. + boy n.1]
A former pupil of a (particular) boys' school, esp. an English public school. Also as quasi-adj. Hence old-boyish a., characteristic or suggestive of an old boy; old-boyishness. Also used attrib. (influenced by old a. 8 a), spec. in old boy(s') net(work), to designate comradeship or favouritism shown among old boys; also transf.; old boys' tie, phr. suggesting attitudes or activities typical of old boys. See also old girl s.v. girl n. 2 a.
1868Haileyburian I. 4/2 On Nov. 30th, was played our first Old Boys football match. 1894A. Beardsley Let. 2–3 Oct. (1971) 76, I had hoped to be at the Old Boys' dinner next month but I fear it is out of the question. 1910H. G. Wells New Machiavelli (1911) i. iii. 92 (heading) The school chapel; and how it seems to an old boy. 1920Beerbohm And Even Now 297 The accounts given to me by ‘old boys’ of other schools. 1931‘G. Trevor’ Murder at School i. 16 ‘It is always a pleasure for Oakington to receive her old boys.’.. A little old-boyishness in response seemed clearly indicated... Within five minutes Revell had ceased to be old-boyish. 1936‘G. Orwell’ Keep Aspidistra Flying iii. 57 He..developed unorthodox opinions about the C. of E., patriotism and the Old Boys' tie. 1959‘J. Byrom’ Take only as Directed viii. 88 ‘Well, blow me down!’ I chose a phrase that seemed suitably Old Boy. 1959Guardian 10 Nov. 8/4 The party must show that the Old Boy network of the Left does not prevent its speaking out when necessary. 1960Observer 26 June 27/2 They write, therefore they are—that is, are part of literary history or, if the anthology is contemporary, part of the Old Boy circuit. 1960Punch 10 Aug. 208/1 His [sc. Shakespeare's] marvellous understanding of the old-boy net as it was operated in the upper echelons of the Greek and Trojan armies. 1961Guardian 19 Jan. 20/7 The atmosphere of old-boyishness and good-chappery which is a deadly threat to our society. 1964New Scientist 24 Sept. 793/1 Dr. Bertrand Goldschmidt..managed to obtain, on an ‘old boy basis’, about 3 microgrammes of plutonium. 1970Wall St. Jrnl. 30 Mar. 1/1 Management experts here see a decline [in Britain] in the ‘Old Boy Network’. Ibid., The Old Boy Net is being replaced by professional managers who take perks for granted. 1971J. R. L. Anderson Reckoning in Ice vii. 143 To hanker after reunions, Old Boys' gatherings and the like suggests that nothing in one's later life has ever quite matched school. 1972Daily Tel. (Colour Suppl.) 1 Dec. 40/4 There is a clubbish sort of old boys' net in The Room [at Lloyd's]. 1973A. Price October Men xii. 178 The Russians don't go much on the old boys' network. 1975Times 27 Feb. 14/8 The [Central Intelligence] Agency..is a cosy gentleman's club whose members have a strict code of their own... They operate on an old boy net, extensive if exclusive. |