Can you show me in what case do we use "old boy / old girl" to refer to our former school mates?

Question

I know the phrase "the old-boy network", but what I want to know is when do we use "old boy / old girl" to refer to our former schoolmates? "My old boy / old girl is a famous movie star now." sounds wierd, for it will be taken as my ex-boyfriend or girlfriend for sure.

Answer 1

We use this expression only when we are referring to someone as being a former pupil of a school. You wouldn't refer to your friends in this way, as you would tend to describe them as "former classmates" or "old school friends". If you were to refer to someone as being an "old boy" or "old girl" of your school, you would in a sense be distancing them as being people who belonged to your school, but who were not among your circle. You would never use it with the possessive, as you suggest, as nobody would understand what you mean. In the sentence you have given, one would say something like: "an old boy/girl of my school has become a famous movie star". If it were someone you'd know, you'd be proud to announce that "one of my old school pals/chums/friends has become a famous movie star".

Answer 2

An old boy or old girl is a former pupil of a school, so you would not use it in the context you have used it. You might say something like 'my friend Jane, who is an old girl of my school, is a famous movie star now'

Answer 3

Dressing up the boy as a princess will not make him gay, or a serial killer, or depressed as he gets older. He may be embarrassed by it but who doesn't have any embarrassment from their childhood? If this was the other way around and a girl wanted to dress up in as a prince nobody would say anything. Is dressing up as a princess his idea or yours? It sounds like it is yours. My advice would just ask him what he wants or take him down the costume isle and let him pick a "boy" costume.

Answer 4

I am not sure why anyone would use that phrase excpet when referring to "the old-boy network". Even still, if it was used I don't think people would assume that old boy meant ex boyfriend. I wouldn't.
Why can't you just say. "This guy I used to know.."

Answer 5

The only time I can think of ever having heard it, was in a group including several girls who had gone to the same private school together and several boys who had gone to a kind-of "brother school" (and me and one other public-school friend). They at times referred to each other and their classmates as Old Boys or Old Girls but really only among themselves. I think it would normally only be used among fellow graduates of the same school.
I wouldn't think of an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend necessarily, either though--I'd probably have to ask you to clarify.