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Glite Dictionary
broth of a boy

broth of a boy

9.9
A lively, very clever boy who is kind and fun
  • noun
  • Irish
translation icon : chico excepcional
  • In The Romantic Rebellion, Kenneth Clark (1973, p. 75) describes the youthful Goya as a "broth of a boy," quarrelsome, womanizing, but successful.

Examples

  • Little does Morgan or anyone else know that Muir is actually Marcas Malone, a fine broth of a boy who fled Belfast to make a new life for himself in America, leaving behind a pregnant girlfriend and a drunken old father.

    Blog text (20)

  • Yes, a fine broth of a boy!"

    Fiction book (1991)

  • He might seem shy, but he's truly a broth of a boy with remarkable talents.

  • The community celebrated their local hero, a broth of a boy who always helps others.

  • Everyone agreed that he was a broth of a boy, excelling in sports and academics.

Synonyms

broth of a man
vsbroth of a boy
  • Irish
9.9

A very good man who is strong and kind

emphasizes youth and lively quality rather than adult admiration

How Admirable

broth of a boy
  • Irish
9.9
boy wonder
7 5.6
good boy
  • Baby Talk
144 1.0
boy
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

broth of a boy singular
broths of a boy plural

Morphology

broth + of + a + boy

The literal constituents ('broth' = soup, 'boy' = young male) do not combine to produce the meaning 'exceptional or outstanding'; the phrase is a dialectal/idiomatic use (chiefly Irish) whose meaning cannot be predicted from the parts. A B1 learner who knows the individual words would not reliably infer this sense without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrase broth of a boy may come from the image of a rich broth (a tasty soup) that is full of the best bits, so calling someone a broth of a boy gives the picture of a boy full of good qualities and lively spirit. That's why it means 'an outstanding or lively boy'.