cowboy

Everyday

1. A man, especially in the western USA, who rides a horse and looks after cattle on a ranch. tree →
2. A character in western films and stories who rides horses, wears a wide hat and boots. tree →
3. (UK, Australia, informal) A worker or company that does careless, bad or dishonest work, often to make quick money: «cowboy builders». tree →
4. A person who acts in a wild, reckless way and ignores the rules. tree →

In the lessons

In stories and films cowboys stand for the old American West, horses, cattle drives and adventure. In everyday British and Australian talk «a cowboy» is a warning: someone who will do a bad job and overcharge you. Phrases: «cowboy hat», «cowboy boots», «cowboys and Indians» (old game, now seen as unfair to Native Americans), «cowboy builder», «cowboy outfit».

Examples

• The cowboy rode his horse across the dusty plain. tree →
• My little brother wore a cowboy hat to the party. tree →
• Cowboys drove the cattle to the market town. tree →
• Don't hire them — they're a bunch of cowboys who left our roof leaking. tree →
• Some cowboy builders took the money and never finished the wall. tree →
• The film was about a lonely cowboy and his dog. tree →
• Stop driving like a cowboy, you'll crash! tree →
• The cowboy roped the calf with a lasso. tree →
• The cowboy and the Gruagach stood by the fire. tree →

Note

Plural is «cowboys» (not «cowboies»). A woman who does the same work is a «cowgirl». In Australia a similar worker is a «stockman» or «jackaroo». The informal «cowboy» meaning of a bad worker is an insult, so be careful using it about real people.