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dummy definition

dummy (dum′ē)

noun pl. dummies -·mies

  1. Slang a person unable to talk; mute: an offensive term
  2. a figure made in human form, as for displaying clothing, practicing tackling in football, etc.
  3. an imitation or sham; substitute for the real thing, as an empty container or false drawer
  4. a person secretly acting for another while apparently representing his or her own interests
  5. Slang a stupid person
  6. Bridge
    1. the declarer's partner, whose hand is arranged face up on the table and played by the declarer
    2. such a hand
  7. Printing
    1. a set of pages with the layout, as for a magazine
    2. a bound volume with blank pages, used as a model for a planned book

Etymology: < dumb + -y

adjective

  1. imitation; sham; fictitious
  2. secretly acting as a front for another a dummy corporation

intransitive verb dummied -·mied, dummying -·my·ing

Slang used only in the phrasedummy up, to refuse to talk or tell what one knows

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

dummy Synonyms

dummy

modif.

counterfeit, faked, simulated; see false 3.


dummy

n.

  1. *A stupid person

    dolt, blockhead, oaf; see fool 1.

  2. A figure in human form

    mannequin, model, waxwork, effigy; see doll, model 3.

  3. Imitation

    sham, counterfeit, duplicate; see copy, imitation 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

dummy Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • throw: They're going to just throw the dummy out the pram - they're going to get burned out.

Adjective modifier

  • outrageous: It was Jay King who with an outrageous dummy left the Shelford fullback Astin grabbing for thin air as he went in unopposed.

Modifies a noun

  • policysubjt: Plans and many dummy variable policysubjt are you aware.

Noun used with modifier

  • ventriloquist: As strange as it may seem now, Archie Andrews was a ventriloquists dummy that first hit the big time on Radio!

Possessives

  • king: John took the first trick in hand and led a trump, taken by East who played another spade to dummy's king.

Possessives

  • ventriloquist: We've got Wang, who's the Korean ventriloquist's dummy from Big Fish.
dummy usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

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MLA Style

"dummy." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/dummy>

APA Style

dummy. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/dummy

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