dummy

dum·my

Use dummy in a sentence

adjective

Dummy means fake.
An example of dummy used as an adjective is in the phrase "dummy trap," which means a fake trap.

noun

The definition of a dummy is a fool, or a figure made to look like a person.
1. An example of a dummy is a person who makes the same silly mistake over and over again.
2. An example of a dummy is a figure used in seat belt testing.

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"dummy." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DUMMY>.

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dummy. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DUMMY

dummy

noun

pl. -·mies

Slang a person unable to talk; mute: an offensive term
a figure made in human form, as for displaying clothing, for practicing tackling in football, etc.
an imitation or sham; substitute for the real thing, as an empty container or false drawer
a person secretly acting for another while apparently representing his or her own interests
Slang a stupid person
Bridge
1. the declarer's partner, whose hand is arranged face up on the table and played by the declarer
2. such a hand
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

Origin of dummy

from dumb + -y

imitation; sham; fictitious
secretly acting as a front for another: a dummy corporation

intransitive verb

-·mied, -·my·ing

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

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MLA Style

"dummy." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DUMMY>.

APA Style

dummy. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DUMMY

dummy

noun

pl. dum·mies

An imitation of a real or original object, intended to be used as a practical substitute.
a. A mannequin used in displaying clothes.
b. A figure of a person or an animal manipulated by a ventriloquist.
c. A stuffed or pasteboard figure used as a target.
d. Football A heavy stuffed cylindrical bag used for blocking and tackling practice.
A stupid person; a dolt.
A silent or taciturn person.
a. Law A person or entity that is the named party to a transaction but that acts on behalf of another concealed person or entity. Also called nominee . Also called straw person .
b. A person or an agency secretly in the service of another.
Printing
a. One of a set of model pages with text and illustrations pasted into place to direct the printer. Also called dummy page .
b. A set of bound blank pages used as a model to show the size and general appearance of a book being published.
Games
a. The partner in bridge who exposes his or her hand to be played by the declarer.
b. The hand thus exposed.
Computers A character or other piece of information entered into a computer only to meet prescribed conditions, such as word length, and having no effect on operations.

adjective

Simulating or replacing something but lacking its function: a dummy pocket; a dummy medication in a study.
Serving as a front or cover for another: a dummy corporation.
Games Played with a dummy.
Computers Entered or provided only to meet prescribed conditions: a dummy variable.

transitive verb

dum·mied, dum·my·ing, dum·mies Printing

To make a model of (a publication or page).

Phrasal Verbs: dummy up Slang To keep silent; give no information.

Origin of dummy

From dumb

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"dummy." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DUMMY>.

APA Style

dummy. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DUMMY

Noun

(plural dummies)

A silent person; a person who does not talk.
An unintelligent person.
Don't be such a dummy!
A figure of a person or animal used by a ventriloquist; a puppet.
Something constructed with the size and form of a human, to be used in place of a person.
To understand the effects of the accident, we dropped a dummy from the rooftop.
A deliberately nonfunctional device or tool used in place of a functional one.
The hammer and drill in the display are dummies.
(UK, New Zealand) A "dummy teat"; a plastic or rubber teat used to soothe or comfort a baby; a pacifier. [from 20th c.]
The baby wants her dummy.
(card games, chiefly bridge) A player whose hand is shown and is to be played from by another player.
(UK) A bodily gesture meant to fool an opposing player in sport; a feint.
(linguistics) A word serving only to make a construction grammatical.
The pronoun "it" in "It's a mystery why this happened" is a dummy.
(programming) An unused parameter or value.
If flag1 is false, the other parameters are dummies.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present dummies, present participle dummying, simple past and past participle dummied)

To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.
The carpenters dummied some props for the rehearsals.
To feint

Origin

From dumb +‎ -y.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.