The AI-powered English dictionary
plural guys
(Britain) An effigy of a man burned on a bonfire on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot (5th November). examples
(dated) A person of eccentric appearance or dress; a "fright". quotations examples
“But shan’t I look a guy?”“Not a bit of it. Jist the very kick!”
1845, Henry Cockton, The Love Match, Clark: W.M, page 77
I am always a perfect guy, whatever I wear, when I sit against a red curtain. You mean say that a woman always knows when she’s good-looking, but I am happy to say I know when I look a guy.
1865, Margaret Oliphant, “Miss Marjoribanks”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume 97, page 316
And the lady from the provinces, who dresses like a guy,And who “doesn’t think she dances, but would rather like to try” […].
1885, W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan, composer, “As Some Day It May Happen”, in […] The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu, London: Chappel & Co., […]
Why are you so ashamed that her child saw you looking a guy, sprawled on the floor, spilling cakes?
1978, Jane Gardam, God on the Rocks, Abacus, published 2014, page 138
(colloquial) A man or boy, fellow. quotations examples
“You don't say so? I thought he was some guy from Pennsylvania.”
1873, ‘Mark Twain’, The Gilded Age
"Hi, guys. Did you have a fun time at school?" said Katherine."Yeah we did," said Stacy.
2007, Manook Sarkisyan, Jack and the Journey through Time, page 219
She was one of the guys, but they were also very much aware that she was an attractive young woman.
2014, Joel Williamson, Elvis Presley: A Southern Life
Let’s be honest. “Have I kissed too many guys?” is not a question that mature, sexually active women are likely to be asking Google.
2016 March 9, Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett, The Guardian
(especially in the plural) A person (see usage notes). quotations examples
My “Guys” actually constitute a collection of people that range from my nearest and dearest girlfriends, my immediate and extended family, co-workers and acquaintances that care.
2009, Carole McCaskill, WHAT COLOR IS MY RIBBON? : An Ovarian Cancer Success Story
My “guys,” as I call the group, are loving and hilarious, serious and the epitome of love. They are both male and female in their presence and have never had the experience of inhabiting a physical body—they are beings of light.
2010, Meg Blackburn Losey, The Secret History of Consciousness: Ancient Keys to our Future Survival
(colloquial, usually referring to animals) character, personality (not referring to an actual person, but assigning personality to the referent) quotations examples
I just want to play with my guys. My guys are my friends, they're stuffed animals or little action figures I have a lot of them.
2011, Richard S. Stripp Sr., Mommy, I Wish I Could Tell You What They Did To Me In School Today
(informal, term of address) Buster, Mack, fella, bud, man. examples
(colloquial) Thing, item (term that can be used to refer to any entity) examples
third-person singular simple present guys, present participle guying, simple past and past participle guyed
(intransitive) To exhibit an effigy of Guy Fawkes around the 5th November. examples
(transitive) To make fun of, to ridicule with wit or innuendo. quotations examples
The dusky hunters "guyed" the palefaces who could not do as well as they with their primitive weapons, even though the fire spouted from the iron tubes and the balls that could not be seen by the eye carried death farther than did the missiles launched by the natives.
1905, Edward S. Ellis, Deerfoot in The Mountains
Swift and other satirists mercilessly guyed the unlettered self-importance of the peddlars of such soul-food, exposing their humility and self-laceration as an egregious and obnoxious form of self-advertisement (s'excuser, c'est s'accuser).
2003, Roy Porter, Flesh in the Age of Reason, Penguin, published 2004, page 278
Terry Kilmartin [...], applauded for every ‘um’ and ‘ah’, knew that he was being guyed and had the charm to make it funny.
2006, Clive James, North Face of Soho, Picador, published 2007, page 187
(theater, transitive) To play in a comedic manner. quotations examples
To guy the speech in the manner of an old-fashioned 'ham' for cheap laughs....
2000, John Southworth, Shakespeare the Player
plural guys or (nonstandard) guies
(obsolete, rare) A guide; a leader or conductor.
(chiefly nautical) A support rope or cable used to aid in hoisting or lowering. examples
(chiefly nautical) A support to secure or steady structures prone to shift their position or be carried away (e.g. the mast of a ship or a suspension bridge). examples
To equip with a support cable. examples