baby

baby

1. A term of endearment for one's lover or romantic partner. Don't be upset with me, baby—I didn't mean what I said! Aww, thanks, baby. This is exactly what I wanted for Valentine's Day!
2. A jocular term of endearment for one's friend. C'mon, baby, help me load these boxes into the truck.
3. A term of address for someone, especially a woman, that one thinks is attractive. Used especially when trying to initiate a sexual or romantic encounter. Hey, baby, can I buy you a drink?
4. A term of endearment for something that one owns and is pleased with or proud of, especially a vehicle, piece of machinery, or electronic device. A: "Wow, nice car!" B: "Thanks! Hop in—I'll show you what this baby can do!" I just bought a brand new sound system. I can't wait to take that baby home and crank some tunes!
5. Some idea, project, or undertaking that one feels directly responsible for and very protective over. (Always comes after a possessive adjective.) This convention has been Sarah's baby for the last eight months, so I'm really glad for her that it all came together so well. Tom's been treating this new redevelopment plan like it's his baby or something, even though we all worked together to come up with it.
6. Someone who is petulantly infantile or immature. Oh, boo-hoo, your sports team lost. So what? God, don't be such a baby! Tom always acts like a big baby whenever the boss doesn't go along with one of his ideas.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

baby

1. n. a lover; one’s sweetheart. (Also a term of address.) Come over here and kiss me, baby.
2. n. a term of address for a friend or pal of either sex. Come on, baby, push this thing—hard!
3. n. a thing; a gadget; a machine, such as a car. (Similar to sucker.) Hand me that baby with the sharp point, will you?
4. n. a project thought of as an offspring. (Always with a possessor.) Whose baby is the Johnson account?
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See:
  • (as) bald as a baby's backside
  • (as) smooth as a baby's bottom
  • (as) soft as a baby's backside
  • (as) soft as a baby's bottom
  • (as) weak as a baby
  • (the) baby needs (new) shoes
  • a baby boomer
  • as easy as taking candy from a baby
  • baby
  • baby bear
  • baby blues
  • baby boomer
  • baby brain
  • baby bump
  • baby fat
  • baby gangsta
  • Baby it’s cold outside
  • baby killer
  • baby needs a new pair of shoes
  • baby up
  • baby, it's cold outside
  • babycakes
  • baby-kisser
  • babysit (someone or something)
  • babysit with (someone or something)
  • baby-snatcher
  • bald as a coot
  • be (one's) baby
  • be left holding the baby
  • be like taking candy from a baby
  • be somebody's baby
  • be someone's baby
  • black babies
  • bottle baby
  • cry like a baby
  • cry-baby
  • don't throw the baby out with the bathwater
  • floppy baby syndrome
  • food baby
  • fur baby
  • hasta la vista
  • jelly babies
  • keep the faith
  • Keep the faith baby!
  • leave (one) holding the baby
  • leave holding the bag
  • leave somebody holding the baby
  • like taking candy from a baby
  • look babies in the eyes
  • make (the) baby Jesus cry
  • make drain babies
  • mama's baby, papa's maybe
  • room-in (with one's baby)
  • sleep like a baby
  • sleep like a log
  • soft as a baby's bottom
  • the baby needs shoes
  • throw out the baby with the bath water
  • throw out the baby with the bathwater
  • throw out the baby with the bathwater, to/don't
  • throw the baby out with the bath
  • throw the baby out with the bath water
  • throw the baby out with the bathwater
  • weak as a baby
  • wet the baby's head
References in classic literature
Give an average baby a fair chance, and if it doesn't do something it oughtn't to a doctor should be called in at once.
The baby need not take your whole heart, like the rich man who walled up the desert well.
Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow
Phil had heard of the baby's birth, but not of its death, and she wrote Anne a congratulatory letter of sweet mirth which hurt her horribly.
Annes House of Dreams
Huddled in the stern of the boat she sat with her baby strained close to her bosom, and because of that little tender, helpless thing she was happier tonight than she had been for many a sorrow-ridden day.
The Beasts of Tarzan
"I brought the Simpson baby home, aunt Jane, thinking it would help us over a dull Sunday, but aunt Miranda won't let her stay.
Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm
The baby grunted again, and Alice looked very anxiously into its face to see what was the matter with it.
Alices Adventures In Wonderland
But, by degrees she was led on to confess that she would like to have for the inexhaustible baby such a nursery as never was seen.
Our Mutual Friend
The baby screamed louder than ever, struggling and sobbing.
Anna Karenina
Hearing of the baby's illness, he had conscientiously gone to the house after nightfall to perform the rite, and, unaware that the refusal to admit him had come from Tess's father and not from Tess, he could not allow the plea of necessity for its irregular administration.
Tess of the dUrbervilles A Pure Woman
One of the little girls, a mere mite who seemed to have prematurely taken upon herself some charge of the others, stepped out of her place by me, and danced to and from the baby until it left off crying, and laughed.
Great Expectations
He would have kissed the baby too, but he was afraid she would laugh at him.
Of Human Bondage
'Morleena was a fine baby,' remarked Mr Kenwigs; as if this were rather an attack, by implication, upon the family.
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
It made her laugh to think of Desiree with a baby. Why, it seemed but yesterday that Desiree was little more than a baby herself; when Monsieur in riding through the gateway of Valmonde had found her lying asleep in the shadow of the big stone pillar.
Awakening and Selected Short Stories
And then the little baby was born, when I didn't expect it; and the thought came into my mind that I might get rid of it and go home again.
Adam Bede
I have dreams of having a little cottage built there, with the daisies up to the door, and no path of any sort-- just big enough to hold myself and one baby inside and a purple clematis outside.
Elizabeth and her German Garden