boy in blue

English

Etymology

From their blue uniforms.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

boy in blue (plural boys in blue)

1. (UK, US, slang, chiefly in the plural) A policeman.
2. (UK, air force slang, dated) A member of the air force.

   Synonym: blue job

   • 2006, David W. Clark, Joe's Letters, page 38:

     Air force personnel used to distinguish airmen (blue jobs or boys in blue) from army personnel (brown jobs or boys in brown).

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:police officer