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# buddy

«buddy» in Mova's school dictionary: **a friend or partner** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a buddy, buddies); verb (buddy up, buddies up, buddied up, buddying up)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A buddy (informal) is a friend or partner. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#m1)

2) A buddy is a partner you are paired with to help and look after each other, as in a buddy system at school or when swimming. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#m2)

3) To buddy up is to pair up with someone as partners. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In school and safety: a reading buddy is an older pupil who reads with a younger one; a «buddy bench» in the playground is where children sit if they want someone to play with; in swimming, hiking and school trips the «buddy system» means each child keeps an eye on a partner, so nobody gets lost. Mostly American and Australian; British English often says «mate» or «friend». Phrases: «best buddy», «reading buddy», «buddy system», «buddy bench», «buddy up with».

### examples

- Max is my best buddy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#x1)
- On the school trip, stay with your buddy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#x2)
- My reading buddy is in Year Six. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#x3)
- If you're lonely, sit on the buddy bench. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#x4)
- We buddied up for the science experiment. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#x5)
- Divers always swim with a buddy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#x6)
- Hey, buddy, can you help me? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#x7)
- Count your buddies before you leave the pool. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/#x8)

### note

Plural buddies (y → ies). Informal, so in formal writing use «friend» or «partner». «Hey, buddy» is friendly, though it can sound annoyed in some tones. Do not confuse with «body».

### In the corpora

- [Other children often feel lonely at break time too, and a buddy bench or club can help.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/94-frustration-loneliness-and-siblings/7/)
- [Many schools have buddies to help new pupils find their way.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/97-moving-change-and-grief/7/)
- [On a trip you stay with your buddy all day and tell the teacher if you get separated.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/258-lunchroom-and-school-trips/11/)
- [Children who leave their group on trips get lost quickly in crowds, so you stay with your group and your buddy.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/258-lunchroom-and-school-trips/20/)
- [«Your WiFi worked fine for the games, buddy.»](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/426-the-dog-ate-it-excuses-for-homework/5/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «buddy» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buddy/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.