Definition

Noun: A person, typically a boy or young man, who sells goods, especially fruit and vegetables, from a barrow (a small cart with wheels) in the street.

Usage

This word specifically refers to a traditional street vendor. It is a compound noun formed from "barrow" (the cart) and "boy" (the seller). It is often used in a British context to describe a historical or traditional figure in street markets.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The barrow-boy shouted his prices to attract customers.
  • In the old photograph, a cheerful barrow-boy is selling apples.

Advanced Usage

• The term can carry connotations of a working-class, entrepreneurial, and sometimes cheeky or loud character from London or other British urban areas.
• It is often used in historical or nostalgic contexts.

Variants and Related Words

• Barrow-man: A less common, gender-neutral variant.
• Costermonger: A more formal synonym for a seller of fruit and vegetables from a street stall or barrow.

Synonyms

• Hawker
• Street vendor
• Peddler (especially one with a cart)

Related Idioms/Phrases

• While not an idiom itself, "barrow-boy" can be used in phrases like "barrow-boy charm," referring to a brash, direct, and persuasive manner associated with such traders.

Noun

1. a hawker of fruit and vegetables from a barrow