cowboys

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of cowboy.

   The cowboys spent the morning branding calves on the open range.

   Several cowboys gathered at the corral to swap stories after the drive.

   Note

   The regular plural carries every sense of the singular. It can mean cattle hands of the American West, fans of cowboy culture, or reckless show-offs. In informal British use it also means dishonest or incompetent tradesmen. In card slang a single cowboy is a king, which is how the poker hand came by its name.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of cowboy.

   He cowboys across the high plains from spring through the fall roundup.

   She cowboys on her family's spread when the herd needs moving.

   Note

   An intransitive verb, so this form takes no direct object. Someone cowboys on a ranch or across the plains, but does not cowboy the cattle, because the herding is already part of the meaning. It is spelled like the plural noun, and the sentence shows which one you have: after a singular subject such as he or she, it is the verb.

3. 3
   nounslang

   In Texas hold 'em, a starting hand consisting of a pair of kings.

   He slow-played his cowboys, hoping someone would push him all in.

   She flopped a set when her cowboys paired with the king on the board.

   Similarkings

   Note

   Poker players' slang for the hand. It is always plural because it names a pair: two kings dealt as a player's private hole cards. Among starting hands it ranks second only to a pair of aces, which is why players slow-play it or push with it. Away from the card table, the same word means the cattle herders.

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