young man

plural young men

1. A term of endearment or admonishment by adults for a young boy.

   I can't understand you, young man. Can you point to which toy you want?

   4 more examples

   That does it, young man! You are excused to your room!

   1985 November 28, Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes (comic)

   Hey, young man... don't walk on the kitchen floor. I just mopped over there.

   2003 July 17, Tom Armstrong, Marvin (comic)

   “Now you listen to me, young man!” Mom pointed a finger straight into my face.

   2004, Warren W. Evans, Corky, Peggy and the Goldfinch, page 82

   Hello, young man, I'm Quincy's mother. I decided to drop by to see how his adopted family is treating him.

   2004 September 21, Bill Amend, FoxTrot (comic)

2. datedA male lover; a sweetheart.

   "Lane Coutell. He's only been Franny's boy friend for a whole year. ..." "The expression is Franny's 'young man,'" he said, "not her 'boy friend.' Why are you so out of date, Bessie? […]"

   1957, J. D. Salinger, "Zooey", in 1961, Franny and Zooey, 1991 LB Books edition, page 96

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see young, man.

   Synonyms: (male) youth