son n EDD -sb 1, cp DINNEEN a mhic 'my lad.' Phr my son:
1 Among males, a familiar, friendly mode of address regardless of relationship or age.
1924 ENGLAND 257 A lot of 'em went home bare. An' dat was crool hard, me son. 1930 Am Speech vi, 58 ~ All the small girls and boys address their younger baby brothers in this way. 1969 Christmas Mumming in Nfld 68-9 Males call each other 'my dear,' 'boy,' 'my son,' and females are generally addressed as 'maid' or, less frequently, 'my maid.' 1973 PINSENT 86 [to old man:] Ya don't have to tell me 'bout ya, my son.
2 Exclamation expressing wonder or surprise.
T 54/65-64 Oh, there's thousand o' fox now, you know. Oh my son, yes, you could go away now in here, in open season, get dozens. T 141/66-652 Blackberry wine, my son, 'tis kicky—more so than blueberry wine.
