bo

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“
Fung Bo-bo is also one of the "Seven Cantonese Princesses," a designation given to the young starlets who dominated the Hong Kong box office in the mid sixties.

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Definitions (4)

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  1. The earlier word for both.
  2. An exclamation used to inspire surprise or fright; especially, a cry uttered by children to frighten their fellows. Also boo. I'll rather put on my flashing red nose and my flaming face, and come wrapped in a calf's skin, and cry bo, bo! I'll fray the scholar, I warrant thee. Old Play, Wily Beguiled.
  3. Not able to say bo! to a goose very foolish or timid.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. Middle English, also boo, from Anglo-Saxon bā, feminine (in Middle English common and neuter), with begen (Middle English beʒen, beien, beyne, bayne, beie, beye, baye), masculine, bu, neuter, = Gothic (Moesogothic) bai, masculine, ba, neuter, = (with a prefix) L. am-bo = Greek ἄμ-φω, both (see ambi-, amphi-), = (with an added element) Icelandic bādhir, etc., Middle English bathe, bothe, modern English both: see both.
  2. Also written boh and formerly also boe; a mere exclamation. Cf. D. “hij kan boe noch ba zeggen,” equivalent to English “he cannot say bo to a goose.” Cf. boo.
 

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