cowboy
cowboy — noun
1. A person whose job is caring for cattle on a large farm, especially in the count
A person whose job is caring for cattle on a large farm, especially in the countryside of the American West, and often shown in films riding a horse and wearing a wide-brimmed hat.
Ignacio worked as a cowboy on a cattle ranch in Texas for nearly forty years.
worked as a cowboy on [ranch]
The old wooden saddle in the museum once belonged to a famous cowboy from Arizona.
Children at the summer camp learned how cowboys used ropes to catch and hold cattle.
Classic western films show the cowboy as a brave loner riding across dusty plains.
Lakshmi's great-uncle was a cowboy who drove herds of cattle across the state of Montana.
- cowhand
more neutral and less romanticised; a hired worker who tends cattle
- rancher
a person who owns or manages the ranch, not just a hired worker
- cattle herder
generic term used worldwide; not specific to the American West
- stockman
common in Australia and New Zealand for the same job
用法筆記
This sense is strongly tied to the history and culture of the American West. In Australia or the UK, terms like 'stockman' or 'herder' are more common for the same job.
常見錯誤
2. A person in a trade or business who acts without honesty, ignores rules, or prod
A person in a trade or business who acts without honesty, ignores rules, or produces work of poor quality, often charging unfairly high prices.
Erik's builder was a cowboy who did shoddy work and charged double the proper price.
a cowboy — dishonest or unscrupulous person in business
Regulators shut the firm after finding it was run by cowboys who ignored safety rules.
Local residents complained that cowboy taxi drivers charged tourists three times the normal fare.
Adaeze refused to hire the cowboy contractor after checking his record for poor quality work.
- con artist
focuses on intentional fraud and deception, not just careless work
- rogue trader
specific to business and finance, especially in British English
- charlatan
more formal; someone who pretends to have skills or knowledge they lack
- professional
someone who does their work with skill, care, and honesty
用法筆記
Common in British English for a tradesperson who does bad work or overcharges. In American English, this sense leans more toward a reckless or aggressive person rather than a dishonest one.
常見錯誤
3. A performer who takes part in rodeo competitions, such as riding untrained horse
A performer who takes part in rodeo competitions, such as riding untrained horses, catching cattle with a rope, or staying on a bull.
Antonia watched the cowboy stay on a bucking horse for eight seconds at the rodeo.
stay on [animal] at the rodeo
A skilled cowboy can rope a calf from horseback in under ten seconds.
The rodeo cowboy from Calgary broke his arm during the bull-riding competition.
Hamza dreams of becoming a professional rodeo cowboy like his uncle who won three titles.
- rodeo rider
more specific; focuses on riding events rather than roping ones
- bronco rider
narrower — only a rider who tries to stay on a wild horse
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: a rodeo cowboy performs competitively in shows, while a ranch cowboy works daily with cattle on a farm. Some people do both, but the terms refer to different activities.
常見錯誤
cowboy — verb
1. To perform the job of a cowboy: riding a horse to care for cattle on a large far
To perform the job of a cowboy: riding a horse to care for cattle on a large farm or ranch.
Felix cowboyed on a Wyoming ranch that summer, rising at dawn to move the cattle.
cowboy as a verb — to work as a cowboy
The young man left the city to cowboy on a ranch in the Colorado hills.
Mayumi always wanted to cowboy on a cattle ranch after watching western films.
Few choose to cowboy — seven-day weeks in the hot sun pay less than factory jobs.
- herd cattle
more literal and neutral; describes the actual task without the cultural associations
用法筆記
Very rare in modern English. Almost always used in past tense or as an infinitive after verbs like 'choose' or 'want'. The noun form is far more common.