Boyism

[f. BOY sb.¹ + -ISM.]

  1.  The characteristic nature of a boy.

a. 1790.  T. Warton, in Sir E. Brydges’ Milton (1853), 566. Perhaps the real boyism of the brother … is to be taken into the account.

1826.  Disraeli, Viv. Grey, I. i. (1878), 1. The spirit of boyism began to develop itself.

  2.  A boyish characteristic or trait; a puerility.

1700.  Dryden, Fables, Pref. (Globe), 498. A thousand such boyisms which Chaucer rejected.

1717.  Garth, Ovid’s Met., Pref. These are some of our poet’s boyisms.

  † 3.  Boyhood. Obs.

1810.  Rev. R. Polwhele, Poet. Register, 48. The progress of Genius in boyism and in youth.