american english - Meaning of the slang Boo


The following paragraph is from the story of Billy, Sally, and Joe:



Billy and Sally were inside a dark room.
- Billy yelled "Boo" and scared Sally.
Then, Joe came in.
- Hey, boo, come over and sit here with me.



In the first line, I understand that Billy was trying to scare Sally, but in the second line, what was Joe trying to say?



Answer



That slang term for Boo is often used as a term for a Boyfriend or Girlfriend or even towards a friend in the right setting. Think of it as a pet name similar to how you would use hunny/honey or the currently popular Bae.


John: "Hey Dave!"
Dave: "Hey Boo!"


Whilst typically it is reserved for a more romantic relationship it can be said between friends in a partially mocking/endeering way the same way you may refer to a friend as "hun" or "honey".


Urban Dictionary : Boo


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