boy scout
1
7.6
- noun
- /bɔɪ skaʊt/
- Informal
:
ingenuo
- Not exactly a boy scout Ted, he was irredeemable filth.
You know, you're a public servant, you're a Boy Scout.
- You know, you're a public servant, you're a Boy Scout.
Examples
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Come on, boy scout, we gotta jam!
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Despite his age, he is still a bit of a boy scout and believes in doing the right thing.
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Yeah, he was not exactly a boy scout.
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What are you, a boy scout?
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"I'm trying to be a boy scout, I'm trying to do my best here."
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Hey, boy scout, why don't you take care of our new friend?
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You're the boy scout, can I be your good deed for today?
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Oh, Gus, at heart you're still a boy scout.
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You're out, boy scout.
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When it comes to negotiation, he is not a boy scout; he knows how to get what he wants.
Antonyms
How Naive
Surface Forms
Morphology
The constituents 'boy' and 'Scout' transparently yield the literal sense of a young member of the Scouts, so learners can guess a relation to youthfulness and the Scout role. However, the evaluative meaning 'naive/overly innocent' is an extended, culturally grounded interpretation (Scouts as morally earnest/innocent) and therefore requires pragmatic or cultural knowledge beyond simple composition, making the expression only partially predictable.
Etymology
Boy scout is also used for a person who behaves like a trained scout: very honest, rule-following and trusting. Because of this, people use the phrase to mean 'naive' or 'overly innocent'.