charlie

plural charlies

1. countableuncountableAlternative letter-case form of Charlie.

plural Charlies · alternative Charley · alternative charley · alternative charlie

1. A unisex given name.
   1. A diminutive of the male given name Charles; also used as a formal given name.

      People were seen exiting a building on Utah Valley University after Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot Wednesday at an event on campus.

      2025 September 10, Hannah Schoenbaum, Alanna Durkin Richer and Mark Sherman, “Conservative activist Charlie Kirk dies after being shot at Utah college event”, in AP News

      1 more example

      Heaven only knows why a man with a strong biblical name like James wants to be a president named Jimmy. I'm certain that if he were called Charles, he wouldn't fool around that way. Charles is not so bad, but Charlie is a terrible burden to bear.

      1979 Charles Kuralt, Dateline America, Harcourt Brace Jovanocich, page 184

      Synonyms: Chas, Chuck

   2. A diminutive of the female given names Charlotte and Charlene, also used as a formal given name, although less common than the male name.

      'Can I call you Charlotte?' 'No. I hate the name, makes me sound like a Victorian aunt. I'm Charlie, and no, you can't call me that either.'

      2007, Sophie Hannah, Hurting Distance, Hodder & Stoughton, →ISBN, page 225

2. A name for a fox in fables and folk literature.

   1 more example

   [I]t is a land of large, rich pastures bounded by ox-fences, and covered with fine hedgerow timber, with here and there a nice little gorse or spinney, where abideth poor Charley, having no other cover to which to betake himself for miles and miles, when pushed out some fine November morning by the old Berkshire.

   1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's School Days

plural Charlies · alternative Charley · alternative charley · alternative charlie

1. uncountableusuallyWorld War II era; joint US/RAF; World War II era; joint US/RAFradiotelephony clear-code word for the letter C.
2. slanguncountableusuallygovernmentThe Vietcong (Victor Charlie); (by extension, sometimes) any enemy.

   I learned a thing or two from Charlie, don't you know? You better stay away from Copperhead Road.

   1988, Steve Earle, “Copperhead Road”

3. slanguncountableusuallyCocaine.

   Synonyms: snow

4. UKcountableoftenslangusuallyA fool.

   You look a right Charlie in that clown outfit! — Yes, we make a right pair of Charlies.

   1 more example

   He looked a right Charlie in those tails and striped trousers.

   2009, Ruth Rendell, The Best Man To Die, page 26

   Synonyms: fool

5. plural normallyslanguncountableusuallyA woman's breast

   There's not a man she won't go with. She lets even the small boys feel her charlies.

   1959, Michel del Castillo, tr. Humphry Hare, The Billsticker

   2 more examples

   […]being turned on by a woman who was also a person and had stuff going for herself, and knowing that even if my Wurlitzer rotted and fell off, even if her Charlies sagged and turned to empty baggies, we'd still be buddies and craft companions

   1975, Harlan Ellison, No Doors, No Windows

   'Hullo, Jacob.' She grins at him over her counter as he eyes her charlies sticking through her sweater.

   1986, John Hooker, Jacob's Season, page 115

6. archaicslanguncountableusuallyA nightwatchman.
7. uncountableusuallyA short, pointed beard, like that of King Charles I.

   This Cholly guy wants to do a brodie off the rattler.

   1913, “Lord Ballyrot in Slangland”, in The Tacoma Times, →ISSN

   2 more examples

   […] the sons are adorned in the very height of the fashion, with white pantaloons, watch chains and Wellingtons, and a charley at their under lip […]

   1834, “Hampden in the 19th Century”, in The Gentleman's Magazine, London: John Bowyer Nichols, page 295

   That square, short man... wearing a moustache and Charlie is William Laud [F&H].

   1861, J.W. Taylor, Antiquities Falkland, page 43

8. uncountableusuallyblackjackThe situation in some blackjack variants where a player wins automatically by showing a hand with the correct number of cards.