doughboy

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See also: dough boy

English

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Etymology

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From dough +‎ boy; its use to refer to an infantryman is unknown, but dates from 1847, during the Mexican-American War.[1]

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

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doughboy (plural doughboys)

  1. (US) An American infantryman, especially one from World War I.
    • 1901 July 19, “Horses in time of War”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record[1], volume 4, number 10, page 296:
      The "dough boys" were loaded into army wagons drawn by mules, and with the cavalry at the flanks the relief column started.
    • 1969, Robert L. Vann, The Competitor, volumes 2-3, page 135:
      The miser, a-seeking lost gelt, / The doughboy, awaiting the battle, / May possibly know how I felt / While the long years dragged by as the dealer / As slow as the slowest of dubs, / Stuck out the last helping of tickets / 'Till I lifted—the Bullet of Clubs!
  2. A kind of flour dumpling.
  3. Frybread.

Translations

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References

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  1. ^ doughboy”, Wordorigins.org, Dave Wilton, Monday, January 05, 2009.