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dummy

 [duhm-ee]   Example Sentences Origin

dum·my

   [duhm-ee] noun, plural dum·mies, adjective, verb, dum·mied, dum·my·ing.
noun
1.
a representation or copy of something, as for displaying to indicate appearance: a display of lipstick dummies made of colored plastic.
2.
a representation of a human figure, as for displaying clothes in store windows.
3.
Informal. a stupid person; dolt.
4.
a person who has nothing to say or who takes no active part in affairs.
5.
one put forward to act for others while ostensibly acting for oneself.
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6.
Slang.
a.
Offensive. a person who lacks the power of speech.
b.
a person who is characteristically and habitually silent.
7.
Bridge.
a.
the declarer's partner, whose hand is exposed and played by the declarer.
b.
the hand of cards so exposed.
c.
a game so played.
d.
an imaginary player represented by an exposed hand that is played by and serves as partner to one of the players.
8.
British. pacifier (def. 2).
9.
Printing. sheets folded and made up to show the size, shape, form, sequence, and general style of a contemplated piece of printing.
10.
a rammer for pushing out dents in lead pipe.
11.
Computers. an artificial address, instruction, or other datum fed into a computer only to fulfill prescribed conditions and not affecting operations for solving problems.
12.
Military. a nonexplosive bomb used for practice exercises.
13.
Dentistry. pontic.
COLLAPSE
adjective
14.
noting or pertaining to an imitation, representation, or copy.
15.
counterfeit; sham; fictitious.
16.
put forward to act for others while ostensibly acting for oneself.
17.
Cards. played with a dummy.

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Dummy is one of our favorite verbs.
So is fletcherise. Does it mean:
to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly.
to bark; yelp.
LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
verb (used with object)
18.
Printing. to prepare a dummy of (often followed by up): The designer dummied up the book so that they could study the format.
19.
to represent in a dummy (often followed by in): to dummy in an illustration.
Verb phrase
20.
dummy up, Informal. to keep silent; refuse to answer: If anybody asks you, just dummy up.
Origin:
1590–1600; 1915–20, Americanism for def. 20; dumb + -y3
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To Dummy
Example Sentences
  • He then drew three rounds of trump, ending in dummy.
  • The diamond eight was led, and ducking in dummy would have succeeded.
  • What they weren't told was that the button was a dummy.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
dummy (ˈdʌmɪ)
 
—n , pl -mies
1.  a figure representing the human form, used for displaying clothes, in a ventriloquist's act, as a target, etc
2.  a.  a copy or imitation of an object, often lacking some essential feature of the original
 b.  (as modifier): a dummy drawer
3.  slang a stupid person; fool
4.  derogatory, slang a person without the power of speech; mute
5.  informal a person who says or does nothing
6.  a.  a person who appears to act for himself while acting on behalf of another
 b.  (as modifier): a dummy buyer
7.  military a weighted round without explosives, used in drill and training
8.  bridge
 a.  the hand exposed on the table by the declarer's partner and played by the declarer
 b.  the declarer's partner
9.  a.  a prototype of a proposed book, indicating the general appearance and dimensions of the finished product
 b.  a designer's layout of a page indicating the positions for illustrations, etc
10.  a feigned pass or move in a sport such as football or rugby
11.  (Brit) US and Canadian equivalent: pacifier a rubber teat for babies to suck or bite on
12.  (modifier) counterfeit; sham
13.  (modifier) (of a card game) played with one hand exposed or unplayed
 
—vb , -mies, -mies, -mying, -mied
14.  to prepare a dummy of (a proposed book, page, etc)
15.  sport Also: sell someone a dummy to use a dummy pass in order to trick (an opponent)
 
[C16: see dumb, -y³]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

dummy
1598, "mute person," from dumb (q.v.). Extended by 1845 to "figure representing a person." Used in card games (originally whist) since 1736.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

dummy definition


In a corporation, one who stands in for a real director or who serves as a nominal director during the organization of the corporation until the stockholders can elect directors.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary

dummy definition


  1. n.
    an empty liquor or beer bottle. : Toss your dummies over here, and I'll put them in the bin.
  2. n.
    a cigarette butt. : The guy tossed a dummy out the window of his car.
  3. n.
    a stupid person. (Rude and derogatory.) : Don't be such a dummy.
  4. n.
    the penis. (Usually objectionable.) : He held his hands over his little dummy and ran for the bedroom.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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