Pronunciations (6)
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/ɡaɪ/
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[ɡaɪ]
Pronunciation notes
- Received-Pronunciation
- US
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[ɡɑj]
Pronunciation notes
- British
- Southern
- Standard
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[ɡaɪ]
Pronunciation notes
- Canada
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[ɡəj]
Pronunciation notes
- dialectal
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[ɡɑɪ]
Pronunciation notes
- Australia
Noun
An effigy of a man burned on a bonfire on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot (5th November).
Usage- Ireland
- UK usage
A person of eccentric appearance or dress; a "fright".
Usage- Dated
- Examples
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“But shan’t I look a guy?” “Not a bit of it. Jist the very kick!”
More examples (1)
I am always a perfect guy, whatever I wear, when I sit against a red curtain. You men say that a woman always knows when she’s good-looking, but I am happy to say I know when I look a guy.
And the lady from the provinces, who dresses like a guy, And who “doesn’t think she dances, but would rather like to try” […].
More examples (1)
Why are you so ashamed that her child saw you looking a guy, sprawled on the floor, spilling cakes?
A man or boy; a fellow.
Usage- Colloquial
- Examples
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“You don't say so? I thought he was some guy from Pennsylvania.”
"Hi, guys. Did you have a fun time at school?" said Katherine. "Yeah we did," said Stacy.
More examples (2)
She was one of the guys, but they were also very much aware that she was an attractive young woman.
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.
A person (see usage notes).
Usage- especially
- in-plural
- Examples
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You know, I don't believe any girl ever had any better friends than you two guys
More examples (3)
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.
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.
I recently rewatched the original Star Wars trilogy. I'm not a Star Wars guy, but I did enjoy them a lot more than I did the first time. / The movie seemed more like just Ellie's personal journey into being, like, "Wow, religion can be cool, I guess", which is fine, but I'm more of a sci-fi guy, so I would rather read the book.
Anything seen to have character and personality, such as an animal or a toy.
Usage- Colloquial
- Examples
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The dog's left foreleg was broken, poor little guy.
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.
dude, Buster, Mack, fella, bud, man.
Usage- Informal
- term-of-address
- Examples
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Hey, guy, give a man a break, would ya?
Thing, item (term that can be used to refer to any entity)
Usage- Colloquial
- Examples
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This guy, here, controls the current, and this guy, here, measures the voltage.
This guy is the partial derivative of that guy with respect to x.
Verb
To exhibit an effigy of Guy Fawkes around the 5th November.
Usage- Intransitive
To make fun of, to ridicule with wit or innuendo.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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More examples (2)
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.
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).
Terry Kilmartin […], applauded for every ‘um’ and ‘ah’, knew that he was being guyed and had the charm to make it funny.
Noun
A guide; a leader or conductor.
Usage- Obsolete
- Rare
A support rope or cable used to aid in hoisting or lowering.
A support to secure or steady structures prone to shift their position or be carried away (e.g. the mast of a ship, a suspension bridge, or a utility pole).
Verb
To equip with a support cable.
- Related words
- Examples
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The swinging booms were then guyed out, and the boats made fast by geswarps, and everything in harbor style.
Noun
an informal term for a youth or man
- Broader terms
- Examples
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a nice guy
the guy's only doing it for some doll
More examples (1)
the poor sod couldn't even buy a drink
a cable, wire, or rope that is used to brace something (especially a tent)
Verb
subject to laughter or ridicule
- Examples
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The satirists ridiculed the plans for a new opera house
The students poked fun at the inexperienced teacher
More examples (1)
His former students roasted the professor at his 60th birthday
steady or support with a guy wire or cable
- Examples
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The Italians guyed the Tower of Pisa to prevent it from collapsing