DCHP-2
Bostonnais Bastonnais, Bostonais, Bostonnois [< Cdn F Bostonais] Hist. DCHP-1 (pre-1967)
THIS ENTRY MAY CONTAIN OUTDATED INFORMATION, TERMS and EXAMPLES
1 n.
a person from the United States; a United States citizen.
See also: Boston Boston people
- 1785 (1943) The Bostonnois, as the men call them, have a house here which contains a fine woman and some very fine children.
- 1808 The pious and loyal Canadian . . . remembers his wars with the Bostonnais.
- 1963 The Canadians were not moved to spring to arms against this renewed attack; in a quarrel of the English and the "Bastonnais," their interest was uncertain.
2 n.
an American trader, especially on the Pacific Coast.
See also: Boston pedlar (def. 1)
- 1776 (1901) On my remarking to Mr. Frobisher, that I suspected the Bastonnais had been doing some mischief in Canada, the Indians directly exclaimed, "Yes; that is the name, Bastonnais."
- 1897 It is amusing to read that the American traders, who originally were chiefly from New England, were known by the savages of the Pacific coast as "Boston-men," even as the same enterprising traders were known to the French in Canada invariably as "Bastonnais."
- 1908 Shall we kill--is it good we kill--these Bostonais who come to take our lands?
- 1785 (1943) The Bostonnois, as the men call them, have a house here which contains a fine woman and some very fine children.