lad

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Middle English ladde English lad From Middle English ladde (“foot soldier, servant; male commoner; boy”), from late Old English *ladda (attested in Old English personal byname Ladda), probably of North Germanic origin. Compare Old Norse ladd (“hose, woolen stocking; sock”), which may have undergone semantic shift to mean a term of abuse (e.g. foolish youth, youngster of lower social status, etc.); thence by connotative amelioration coming to mean any young fellow. Compare Norwegian ladd (“rough sock, woolen or felt slipper”) and the -ladd in compounds Askeladd/Askeladden (a nickname in fairy tales, "Ash Lad") and tusseladd (“nincompoop”). See also Swedish ladder (“old shoes”), lodde (“Frisian shoe”), lädder (“socks”), all said to be related to Old Norse loðinn (“hairy, shaggy, woolly”), loddi (“shaggy dog”).

1. A boy or young man.

   “How great is that danger, to which poor lads are now exposed, when placed on shipboard to learn the art of sailing! Five lads, training up for the seas, were now on board this ship; […]”

   “The lad, his son, had obtained a Jew's-harp, and learned to play upon it the profane airs of "Yankee Doodle," "Hail Columbia," "St. Patrick's Day," and "Auld Lang Syne."”

2. A hedonistic or irresponsible young man; A Jack the lad.

   “I think he reckons he’s a bit of a lad.”

   “Last night I was out drinking with the lads.”

3. A familiar term of address for a young man.

   “Come here, lad, and help me shift these boxes.”

4. A groom who works with horses.
5. The penis.

   “— The lad stood to attention anyhow, he said with a sigh. She's a gamey mare and no mistake.”

   “Mrs Glynn: Oh but there's this great bit in it. You see, there was this girl, but then you find out it's not a girl but a man! Mrs Sheridan: And he got his lad out.”

6. A scammer.

   “[...] regardless whether you feel the lads may deserve to be subjected to those types of images.”