Cowboy Terminology

noun a slang term for a dishonest or deceitful person

• The rancher skillfully cracked the bullwhack to round up the cattle.
• I saw the cowboy twirling his bullwhack at the rodeo.
• He used the bullwhack to give that stubborn mule a good whack.
• Her words were like a sharp bullwhack, cutting through the silence.

noun a motherless calf in a range herd, especially in the western US

• The rancher rounded up the stray dogie and returned it to its owner.
• I saw a cute little dogie wandering around the neighborhood.
• My friend's dogie is so hyper, always running around and barking.
• The new intern was like a lost dogie, unsure of where to go or what to do.

noun a South American cowboy, typically of the Argentine pampas

• The gaucho is a skilled horseman and cattle herder in South America.
• I heard that gaucho makes the best barbecue in town.
• That gaucho is one tough hombre, you don't want to mess with him.
• She rode into the meeting like a gaucho, commanding attention and respect.

noun a melodramatic movie or television show featuring cowboys and the American West

• The horse opera genre became popular in the early 20th century.
• I love watching those old horse opera movies with all the action and drama.
• Let's kick back and watch a classic horse opera tonight.
• The political debate turned into a real horse opera with all the shouting and accusations.

noun a variant spelling of partner, which refers to a person who takes part in an activity with another or shares in a business

interjection used informally to address or refer to someone, especially in a friendly or familiar way

• The business pardner was impressed with the proposal.
• Hey pardner, you ready to hit the trail?
• Me and my pardner are heading out for a night on the town.
• Sometimes fear can be a pardner in pushing us to achieve our goals.

noun a cowboy or cattle herder in Spanish-speaking regions, typically wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a short jacket, and high boots

• The vaquero rode on horseback through the vast ranch to check on the cattle.
• Hey, did you see that vaquero wrangling the cows earlier?
• I heard that vaquero is the best at roping in the whole county.
• She's a vaquero when it comes to handling difficult situations at work.