i Register
In some senses, sonny is marked as dated, derogatory, colloquial. Watch for register when choosing this word.
sonny
/ˈsʌni/
name 3noun 2
Collocations
3VERB + SONNY
call, christened, come, dare, don't, go
SONNY + NOUN
', boy, jim, josie, mary, tom, you'll
PREP.
on
Definitions
noun
1
A familiar form of address for a boy.
2
Form of address to a boy or man, to express contempt, warning etc.
name
1
A nickname for a male child.
2
A male given name from English.
'I was christened "Sonny"', the boy said with a protective formality which was clearly of some years' growth. ' It seems to have been all right then. Fashionable, you know. Now, of course, it's ghastly. Everyone calls me Sinclair, even Mother.'
Sonny had had to change his mind about so many things, as his life changed, as the very meaning of his ridiculous name changed - first a hangover from sentimental parents, then a nickname to reassure the crowds at rallies that he was one of them, then an addendum to his full names in a prison dossier: 'also known as Sonny'. A common criminal with aliases.
3
A diminutive of the female given name Sonia.
Sonia was hired and quickly persuaded everyone to call her “Sonny.” Josie recalls, “For some reason, she did not care for her first name, but I thought it was beautiful. I was surprised that she spelled her nickname 'Sonny' rather than 'Sunny', but I suppose it was because of the letter 'o' in Sonia.
She couldn't believe Irina had said that so openly. Then Sonny gasped before she could stop herself. “What is it?” Irina looked down at herself. “What's the matter?” “Nothing.” Sonny shook her head and took up her notes as if to discuss them.
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
'I was christened "Sonny"', the boy said with a protective formality which was clearly of some years' growth. ' It seems to have been all right then. Fashionable, you know. Now, of course, it's ghastl
Wiktionary02
Sonny had had to change his mind about so many things, as his life changed, as the very meaning of his ridiculous name changed - first a hangover from sentimental parents, then a nickname to reassure
Wiktionary03
Sonia was hired and quickly persuaded everyone to call her “Sonny.” Josie recalls, “For some reason, she did not care for her first name, but I thought it was beautiful. I was surprised that she spell
Wiktionary04
"Please move aside." "Ya wanna make something of it, sonny?"
Tatoeba · #32899605
"Go home, sonny," Mary urged Tom, "and have a good sleep! You're whacked out!"
Tatoeba · #897536606
"I'm going to sneak into the kitchen now and help myself to some of that pudding Mum made for the guests." "Don't you dare, Sonny Jim!" "Oh! Hello, Mum!"
Tatoeba · #11574430Usage Notes
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