ladlad /læd/ ●●○ S3 noun [countable] British English 
a young lad Things were different when I was a lad.► see thesaurus at man2the lads spoken a group of male friends that a man works with or spends his free time with: a night out with the ladsone of the lads (=a member of your group of friends)3a bit of a lad spoken a man that people like even though he behaves rather badly: That Chris is a bit of a lad, isn’t he?4lad culture informal the way in which some young men behave, involving typically male activities such as drinking a lot of alcohol, driving fast cars, and watching football – used to show disapproval5 (also stable lad) a boy or man who works with horses SYN stable boy → Jack the Lad
WORD ORIGINlad
Origin:
1200-1300 Perhaps from a Scandinavian languageTHESAURUS
an adult male human: · a young man· Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest.
(also bloke/chap British English) informal a man: · She’d arranged to meet a guy in the bar.· Alex is a really nice bloke.
formal a man – used as a very polite way of talking about a man: · an elderly gentleman· Please could you serve this gentleman?
a young male person, usually a child or a teenager: · a teenage boy
old-fashioned informal a boy or young man: · When I was a young lad, I wanted to join the army.
a teenage boy or young man – used especially in news reports to show disapproval: · Gangs of youths roam the streets.
formal a man – used especially by the police or in science and research contexts. The adjective male is much more common than the noun: · We are investigating the death of an unidentified male.· The condition is usually found only in males.
American English informal a man – a very informal use: · You could tell there was something creepy going on with that dude.
WORD SETSbareback, adjectivebay, nounbit, nounblacksmith, nounblaze, nounblinkered, adjectiveblinkers, nounbloodstock, nounbridle, nounbridle, verbcanter, verbcard, nouncrop, noundressage, nounequestrian, adjectiveequine, adjectiveevens, nounfarrier, nounfence, nounfield, nounfilly, noungallop, verbgallop, noungee-gee, noungelding, noungirth, noungroom, noungymkhana, nounhack, verbhack, nounhalter, nounhand, nounhigh-spirited, adjectivehorsemanship, nounhorse-riding, nounjib, verbjockey, nounjodhpurs, nounjoust, verbjump, nounlad, nounlength, nounmiler, nounmount, nounnag, nounneigh, verbnobble, verbnosebag, nounodds, nounofftrack, adjectiveostler, nounpack trip, nounpaddock, nounpair, nounpalomino, nounparimutuel, nounpommel, nounpony-trekking, nounprance, verbracecourse, nounracegoer, nounracehorse, nounrace meeting, nounracetrack, nounracing, nounrein, nounremount, verbride, verbriding, nounroan, nounrodeo, nounsaddle, nounsaddle, verbsaddle bag, nounshoe, nounshoe, verbshow jumping, nounshy, verbskittish, adjectivespur, nounspur, verbstable, nounstable, verbstable boy, nounstabling, nounstarting gate, nounstarting price, nounstayer, nounsteeplechase, nounsteward, nounstirrup, nountack, nounthoroughbred, nounthree-day event, nountip, nountipster, nountournament, nountout, verbtrot, nounturf accountant, noununseat, verbwater jump, nounwhoa, interjectionwinning post, nounyearling, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY a young lad
a young lad (=a member of your group of friends)
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· They all tried. Big lads they were and all.· Some one who, for preference, was a big strapping lad but short on brains.· I gave your letter to Corky for his tips section, but the big lad says' Stuff off!· This particular day he had a young fireman called Tom Smith, a big strong lad with a fiery temper.· They indicate that the big lad from West Birk Hatt is probably one of the finest unsung heroes of the last war.
· It might also be necessary to employ a good lad from the village to help.· A good lad but as they say, a walk through the ocean of his soul would scarcely get your feet wet.· And we had five good lads aboard, we never thought to run into any trouble we couldn't handle.· He's a good head lad, Tremayne trusts him, but I wouldn't stake my life on his loyalty.· I know he mucks about a bit, but he's a good lad really.· But Tony Cottee's a good lad and I wish him well.· I thought this was marvellous, good for the lads, and got us all out in the open air.
· McGeechan puts that down to identifying the likely lads early and raising their sights to higher planes.· Right: A pair of likely lads.
· How happy they had been together, he and she and the little lad in the drowsy heat of the meadows.· Walt the Wonder Boy, the little lad who fired the imagination of millions.· And I hope you can do something for this little lad here.· And the little lad was, oh, so welcome!· But they was lying one on top the other, duck - and the little lad was beneath and upside down.· At length the little lad grabs her sleeve and becomes insistent, and she is only just in time with the sick bag.· A few windows were flung open, and two little lads pelted Broomhead with rotten apples before they were chased off.
· Formed at college, where Andy studied drama, the FADs are not local lads.· The best rugby, though, was yet to come stemming from a tigerish rally inspired by a local lad.· I think that if they had just local lads to contend with there would be no problems.· In New Zealand public opinion is swinging behind the local lad.· Young Mark and Matthew, local lads, dealing out the food.· In Nurly their daughters are wary of marrying local lads, fearing that they may eventually be divorced.· Boys will be boys and in spite of warnings at least one fatal accident occurred involving local lads, and several were injured.
· He changed from being a nice lad into being violent.· He was a nice enough lad.· A nice enough lad ... Matthew.· Oh, you're a nice lad all right.
· The year was 1931 and there were a lot of other lads and lassies standing around anxiously like me.· And the master carpenter and the other lad turned back for Shrewsbury.· Safety manager, presented and with their own pen sets as well as those for the other lads on the team.
· But - poor lad - he suffered.· Then there was Brian, who had frequent fits, poor lad.· Bet the poor lad didn't even know it was there.· Harry, poor lad, must wait his turn.
· A young stable lad led out another horse, and stood waiting for the one which the smith had almost finished shoeing.· He was a stable lad at Kingsley House, Middleham, at the time.
· Hadn't he actually been elected to the State Senate - old Jack Ryan's youngest lad?· He was driving over to Liverpool to score and had the youngest lad with him.· Two young lads from Hafnarfjödur, a small fishing village near Reykjavik, were going like loonies.· He's a young lad who was employed in the house here, living in.· A young stable lad led out another horse, and stood waiting for the one which the smith had almost finished shoeing.· There was scope here for a young lad with ability.· For a young lad, he has surprised me.
VERB· Tell her that as much as you appreciate her efforts, you'd rather meet lads on your own.· John walked down the hill, on his way to meet some of the lads in the town.· There he meets a group of lads from Liverpool.
· I played one lad and beat him in three successive frames.· Then I played a second lad and beat him too.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► a bit of a lad► lad culture
1old-fashioned informal a boy or young man: - Being the first of the lasses, she was always his favourite; the lads didn't seem to matter.
- But these were not the lads from the left-overs.
- He's abducted me six times and Nero had to send the lads to rescue me.
- He came in when the lads were at a low ebb somewhere on the ocean bed.
- He was no hugger, no fondler, no arms around the lads or groping the girls.
- Inside, the lads were all enjoying themselves immensely.
- Lawless and the rest of the lads assumed he had just done several miles of road work.
- Several fivers to each of the residents, and a good profit to the lads.
a young lad Things were different when I was a lad.► see thesaurus at man2the lads spoken a group of male friends that a man works with or spends his free time with: a night out with the ladsone of the lads (=a member of your group of friends)3a bit of a lad spoken a man that people like even though he behaves rather badly: That Chris is a bit of a lad, isn’t he?4lad culture informal the way in which some young men behave, involving typically male activities such as drinking a lot of alcohol, driving fast cars, and watching football – used to show disapproval5 (also stable lad) a boy or man who works with horses SYN stable boy → Jack the Lad