old-boy network

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old-boy network

(ōld′boi′)

An informal, exclusive system of mutual assistance and friendship through which men belonging to a particular group, such as the alumni of a school, exchange favors and connections, as in politics or business: "Working-class kids ... had no old-boy network to turn to in times of trouble" (Bill Barich).

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

old′-boy′ net`work

(ˈoʊldˈbɔɪ)
n.

a network through which men of the same profession, social class, school, affiliation, or the like assist one another in business, politics, etc.

[1955–60]

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References in periodicals archive ?

Lockhart's award-winning The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (Hyperion, 2008/VOYA December 2007), Allens novel pits wronged girls against the quintessential teenaged old-boy network: the varsity football team.

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The old-boy network of picking judges never failed.

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Never again can the old-boy network be allowed to protect useless doctors at the expense of patients' lives.

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We in the executive search profession are too willing to stay within our comfort zone: the old-boy network. We should set the course in attracting the unexpected, rather than present the usual suspects.

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Last night he denied any conflict of interest and Adam claimed Scottish football clubs were too bogged down by an old-boy network to appreciate fresh ideas.

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Mars is a favorite spot, and both Mars stories involve a crime: "Old-Boy Network" takes high-stakes white-collar crime to a new level, while "Moments" shows how human needs are still not considered by mega corporations.

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In their effort to enact zoning laws in one of only four Nebraska counties without them, the group has run headlong into an old-boy network: Their pro-zoning ads were rejected by the local radio station and newspaper.