Billies

Billies is a plural form used in several distinct English-language senses, with the intended meaning usually clear from context. The term can refer to male animals, objects used in daily life, or tools and implements, among other uses. The exact sense is often determined by accompanying words or regional usage.

In animal husbandry, a billy is an adult male goat. Billies are kept for breeding and sometimes for meat, while the female is a nanny and the young is a kid. The plural billies simply refers to more than one such animal. The term originates from the common practice of naming male goats billy.

In camping and outdoor contexts, a billy is a lightweight metal cooking pot or mess tin used for boiling water and cooking while traveling or camping. The term is especially common in Australian English, where the item is often called a billy can. When multiple pots are involved, the plural billies is used.

In slang and policing contexts, a billy refers to a baton or truncheon carried by law enforcement or security personnel. The plural billies would denote more than one baton. This sense is informal and typically appears in journalistic or colloquial language.

Other uses may include personal names or nicknames derived from the given name Bill, or reference to specific cultural items named billy. Because meanings vary by region and field, clarification from context is typically necessary to determine the intended sense of billies.