boy

A boy is a male under the age of 18 or a male who has not yet reached adult maturity.

This word is used literally and figuratively. A boy is a male child between the time of infancy and adolescence.

When I was a boy, I had a beautiful dog named Simon.
Where did you go to school when you were a boy?
Boys in the United State enjoy sports such as baseball and football.
Sarah and Franklin had a boy. (They are new parents to a male baby.)
Pam and Pat have two girls and a boy. (They are parents to three children: two girls and one boy.)
He’s acting like a boy.
Once Walter turned 17, he no longer felt he was a boy (A boy becomes a man during his late teenage years or adolescence.)
Boys, I need some help out in the backyard. (This could be a request directed at men.)

When I was a boy, I didn’t like sitting in a classroom very much, but I enjoyed reading and learning.

“Be able to” is similar to the modal verb “can.”

You may hear “boy” at the beginning of a statement, but it’s also a way to address a man or a boy.

Boy, this is really difficult!
Boy, are you in trouble!
You’re in trouble now, boy!
Boy oh boy. You are in big trouble!
Boys, get over here!
Boy, get over here! (This sounds a bit harsh. It sounds like a young man is in trouble. Also, never use “boy” in this way to address a man. It would be much better to use the person’s name.)

He’s going to have to get his big boy pants on and get to work. (big boy pants = accept responsibility or make more effort)
John is like the boy who cried wolf, always fooling others into believing his problems. (The Boy Who Cried Wolf is an Aesop fable about a boy who falsely claims to need protection from a wolf attack.)
He’s just a good ol’ boy. (This is a reference to a man, usually of southern origin, who lives in a rural environment, outside of a city.)
Tom is a mama’s boy. (mama’s boy = a man whose mother has great influence over her son.)
Boy, it’s cold outside! (This can be said to anyone, male or female.)
Boy, oh boy, oh boy! (Wow!)
Boys will be boys. (This is an expression that is used to explain why a boy behaves as he does, often in a rough or careless manner. It’s not a fair excuse, but it is frequently used.)