Definition of cowboy
1 : one who tends cattle or horses; especially : a usually mounted cattle-ranch hand
2 : a rodeo performer
3 : one having qualities (such as recklessness, aggressiveness, or independence) popularly associated with cowboys: such asa : a reckless driverb : a business or businessperson operating in an uncontrolled or unregulated manner
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Examples of cowboy in a Sentence
a movie about cowboys in the old West
He worked for several years as a cowboy on a ranch in Texas.
We've got a bunch of risk-taking cowboys running this project.
Did You Know?
In the American West, a horseman skilled at handling cattle is called a cowboy. From ca.1820, cowboys were employed in small numbers on Texas ranches. After the Civil War, their numbers rapidly multiplied as cattle-raising evolved into a lucrative industry throughout the western territories. Cowboys rounded up and branded the cattle, kept watch over the herd, and drove those ready for market to railroad towns. As the agricultural frontier moved west, the open range was transformed into farms, and by 1890 cowboys had been forced to settle on ranches. The romance of their image lives on in American folklore and through movies and television.
1623
First Known Use of cowboy
1623
cowboy
Definition of cowboy
intransitive verb
: to work as a cowboy cowboyed in Texas and Oklahoma
Examples of cowboy in a Sentence
He cowboyed in Texas and Oklahoma.
1925
First Known Use of cowboy
1925
COWBOY Defined for English Language Learners
cowboy
playDefinition of cowboy for English Language Learners
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: a man who rides a horse and whose job is to take care of cows or horses especially in the western U.S.
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: a man who performs in a rodeo
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: someone who has qualities that are commonly associated with the cowboys in movies; especially : someone who does things that other people consider foolish and dangerous
cowboy
Definition of cowboy for English Language Learners
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: to work as a cowboy
COWBOY Defined for Kids
cowboy
playDefinition of cowboy for Students
: a man or boy who works on a ranch or performs at a rodeo
Learn More about cowboy
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See words that rhyme with cowboy Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cowboy Spanish Central: Translation of cowboy Nglish: Translation of cowboy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cowboy for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cowboy
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