dummy
dummy Lexical Profile
dummy Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A model or replica of a human being or object, used for displaying clothes, practicing skills, crash testing, or ventriloquism.
"The tailor pinned the unfinished jacket onto a dressmaker's dummy to check the alignment of the seams."
An informal, mildly derogatory term for a foolish, ignorant, or unobservant person.
"I felt like a complete dummy when I realized I had been trying to unlock the wrong car for five minutes."
British A rubber or plastic nipple given to a baby or young child to suck on for comfort.
"The infant stopped crying as soon as her mother gave her a clean dummy."
In bridge and certain other card games, the declarer's partner, whose hand of cards is laid face up on the table to be played by the declarer, or the exposed hand itself.
"After the opening lead was made, she spread her hand on the table as the dummy."
• adjective
Serving as a temporary substitute, imitation, or non-functional replica of something real, often used for testing, display, or formal record-keeping.
"The software developers populated the database with dummy accounts to test the new security features."
• verb
British To deceive an opponent in soccer, rugby, or similar team sports by pretending to pass or kick the ball in one direction before moving or letting it run in another.
"The midfielder dummied the defender at the edge of the penalty box and slotted the ball into the corner."
To create a preliminary mock-up or layout of a book, magazine, or page before final printing (often followed by 'up').
"The design team dummied the entire special issue so the editors could review the placement of the photographs."
Word Nuance & Usage
In British and Commonwealth English, 'dummy' commonly refers to a baby's pacifier, whereas in North American English it is primarily used for a mannequin, a mock object, or as a mild insult for a foolish person.
• Rhymes for dummy
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the late 16th century from the adjective 'dumb' (originally meaning mute or silent) plus the diminutive suffix '-y', initially referring to a person who could not speak before extending to inanimate figures and mock-ups.