Meaning

• A friend or casual acquaintance.

  "They have been buddies since they were in school."

• A partner for a particular activity.

  "drinking buddies"

• An informal and friendly address to a stranger; a friendly (or occasionally antagonistic) placeholder name for a person one does not know.

  "Hey, buddy, I think you dropped this."

Meaning

• To assign a buddy, or partner, to.