old boy:
(plural: ‘old boys‘; female: ‘old girl‘)
old boys in politics having a meeting
(mostly in British usage) a graduate of a public school for boys;
an old (former) student of a school;
(informal) a casual form of addressing a man;
(informal) a casual form of addressing an old man;
any member of the old-boy network (‘old-boy network’ = an informal system of cooperation among former students of a school or educational institution — cooperation in business, politics or any other social events, when those students grow older);
(also said ‘good old boy’, “good ol’ boy”, ‘good ole boy’) a man with from Souther States of America with friendly and less fashionable and family sentiments,
old boys of a college now in corporate business
I ran into an old boy in the pub last night. (a student from my class/school when I was a school kid)
Hi Ed, my old boy, how are you? (addressing a friend)
How are you keeping these days, old boy? (addressing an old man)
John, our town councilmen, is one of the old boys from our old-boy network; we can surely get some help from him.
Fans thronged to see the good old boys and good old girls of the show business who showed up and spoke to the crowds at the Oscar Awards ceremony.
Note 2: ‘Old boys’ club’ or ‘old boys network’, in the present day scenario, especially in politics, is used with a negative connotation (in a negative sense) while referring to men’s domination over women in business and politics or to a group of men not allowing others to be decision making positions for fear of losing the power. Therefore, care should be taken while using the expression.
