buddy

nounpronounverbadjectivetop 1 000 in film dialogue

United Kingdom//ˈbʌdi//
Canada//ˈbʌdi//
Canada/[ˈbʌɾi]/
Australia//ˈbɐdi//
//ˈbʊdi//

A friend or casual acquaintance.

noun

1
A friend or casual acquaintance.
They have been buddies since they were in school.
He told us we ought to think of Jesus as our buddy and all. He said he talked to Jesus all the time. Even when he was driving his car. That killed me.
2
A partner for a particular activity.
drinking buddies
training buddies [mentor/mentee]
3
An informal and friendly address to a stranger, usually male; a friendly (or occasionally antagonistic) placeholder name for a person one does not know.
Hey, buddy, I think you dropped this.

Etymology

First appears c. 1788, in the writings of Charles Dibdin, of uncertain origin. Possibly from *bruddy, *bruthy, a child-talk alteration of brother. Alternatively, perhaps from British colloquial butty (“companion”), also the form of an older dialect term meaning workmate, associated with coal mining. Itself believed derived from 1530 as booty fellow, a partner with whom one shares booty or loot. Alternatively, compare Scots buddo, bodda (“buddy, kiddo, dear”), related to Icelandic budda (“purse"; also "short, stout person”).

pronoun

1
A person far removed from the conversation.
I found some earphones in the pocket, buddy must have been pissed.
Buddy's loaded. 'Got like three houses.

verb

1
To assign a buddy, or partner, to.
If you are being formally buddied, have a good chat with your buddy and find out their interests -- these should more or less match your own.

adjective

1
Resembling a bud.
Some of the dwarfer varieties are full of buddy growths in the early stages and these must be cut down and thrown away.

Etymology

From Middle English buddy, buddi, equivalent to bud + -y.

Forms

plural: buddies
comparative: more buddy
superlative: most buddy
past tense: buddied
past participle: buddied
present participle: buddying
third person singular: buddies

Buddha · Siddhartha Gautama, ancient Indian philosopher and teacher…Buddhism · The religion or philosophy derived from the teachings of…Buddhist · Of, relating to, or practicing Buddhism.

buddy · A friend or casual acquaintance.

Buddy · A male nickname.budge · To move; to be shifted from a fixed position.Budge · A surname.

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