See Also:

lad (iou)



lad noun. [lad] ME.
[Origin unkn.]
A boy, a youth, a young man; a young son. In extended use: any man (sometimes iron.), a fellow; esp. (colloq.) a workmate, drinking-companion, etc., (usu. in pl.). Also used as a familiar form of address (also my lad). ME.
lad of wax: see WAX noun1. the lads the members of a team or a group of men of any age sharing a common interest on equal terms; spec. the rank-and-file members of a trade union.
J. O'Hara A mere strip of a lad, hardly more than a boy. Beano Time for your bath, lad!
a. A man of humble birth and position; a menial, a labourer. Long obsolete exc. dial. ME.
b. A stable-hand of any age and (in mod. use) either sex, esp. in a racing-stable. M19.
A high-spirited or roguish man or boy, a daredevil. Esp. in a bit of a lad, quite a lad. M16.
R. Dahl He's..a genius...He's a bit of a lad too...Terrific womaniser.
A male sweetheart. Scot. E18.
Comb.: lad-bairn Scot. a male child; lad's love the aromatic plant southernwood, Artemisia abrotanum.
laddie noun (a form of address or endearment to) a lad M16.
laddish adjective of or pertaining to a lad or lads; like a lad: M19.
laddo noun (colloq., orig. Anglo-Irish), pl. -os, (a form of address or mode of reference to) a lad L19.
ladhood noun the state of being a lad L19.