noun
Holmes
hohmz
noun
1
Informal, friendly term of address for a man, similar to "man" or "dude."
"Chill out, holmes, we've got time."
"Thanks for the ride, holmes."
2
Someone who displays sharp, Sherlock-Holmes-like powers of deduction (from the fictional detective).
"You figured out his password from three clues? Nice work, holmes."
How to Use Holmes
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA casual way to address a friend, or a nod to someone playing detective.
Easily confused with
holmes (the surname/place name)
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Chill out, _____, we've got time.
Etymology
The friendly-address sense grew out of Chicano and West Coast slang; the detective sense nods to the fictional character Sherlock Holmes, whose surname comes from an old English word for a small island or river meadow.