Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A comrade; a companion; a brother in arms, trade, and the like; a fellow; a young man.
  • noun Stolen metal of any kind.
  • noun A small metal bludgeon that may be carried in the pocket; hence, a policeman's club.
  • noun A slubbing-machine. See slubber.
  • noun A tin can or pail with an arched handle and a detachable lid, used by bushmen in Australia as a kettle.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A club; esp., a policeman's club. Also called billy club
  • noun (Wool Manuf.) A slubbing or roving machine.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A billy club.
  • noun A billy goat.
  • noun Geordie A good friend.
  • noun Australia, New Zealand A tin used by bushmen to boil tea, a billypot.
  • noun UK, Australia A billycan.
  • noun slang A condom (From the E-Rotic song "Willy, Use A Billy...Boy")
  • noun A slubbing or roving machine.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a short stout club used primarily by policemen
  • noun male goat

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • We were told earlier today that firefighters are cutting what they call billy goat lines.

    CNN Transcript Sep 4, 2009 2009

  • April 30th, 2008 11: 51 am ET hill billy is a lier and a thief. stop her before she steals all your money. vote sensibly. vote Obama 08, 12

    Obama campaign files FEC complaint against pro-Clinton group 2008

  • Course in billy's case, he probably ENJOYS exposin 'himself!!

    Sunday blues David 2006

  • They'd left me the plum-duff, which was hanging in its billy from a bough.

    A Little Bush Maid 1910

  • Don't walk on the cracks in the road Oh that is me being a silly billy (Can I call billy silly? or will that offend?)

    Army Rumour Service 2010

  • Called billy bob thornton, who could no longer hide behind One Who Knows from Canada writes: s. truszkowski from toronto, Canada writes: billy wants some space from his acting career as he expresses his musical aspirations so it is a fine and good thing his band is often referred to as billy bob thorton and the boxmasters. that the upcoming album from the boxmasters is called 'modbilly' is also some sort of cosmic coincidence and has nothing to do with using fame garnered in hollywood to push a marketing agenda in the music world. further, that an opening band for willie nelson, and not willie himself, would be subject to a relatively high profile interview suggests questionable judgement by the cbc on the basis of something deeper than mediocre music.

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed 2009

  • It seemed to me that if I could make him angry he would do better, so I knocked off his hat, which was black and hard, of the kind which is called billy-cock.

    Danger! and Other Stories Arthur Conan Doyle 1894

  • I should, perhaps, explain to English readers that a billy is a tin can, the name for which

    Erewhon Revisited Samuel Butler 1868

  • He was charged with one count of possessing a deadly weapon, described as a billy club, and two counts of possessing assault weapons.

    Home 2010

  • Swag is an Australian term for a bedroll, and a billy is a pot or can with a wire handle used to boil water or cook food in.

    Backpacking Light Magazine 2009

Comments

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  • Australia and New Zealand. A cylindrical container, usually of tin or enamel ware, with a close-fitting lid and a wire handle, used for making tea and for cooking over fires in the open, and for carrying food or liquid. (OED online)

    Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong

    Under the shade of a coolibah tree

    And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled,

    "Who'll come a-waltzing matilda with me?"

    --A.B. Paterson, "Waltzing Matilda"

    February 7, 2007

  • "Billy Peddle" by Great Big Sea; "Billy's Bones" by the Pogues

    February 9, 2008