Doll

¹ American  

[dol] / dɒl /

noun

1. a female given name, form of Dorothy.

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doll ² American  

[dol] / dɒl /

noun

1. a small figure representing a baby or other human being, especially for use as a child's toy.

2. a small figure representing a nonhuman character, for use as a toy.

   cartoon character dolls.

3. Slang.

   1. a pretty but expressionless or unintelligent woman.

   2. a girl or woman, especially one who is considered attractive.

   3. a boy or man who is considered attractive.

   4. (sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address, as to a child or romantic partner (sometimes offensive when used to strangers, casual acquaintances, subordinates, etc., especially by a male to a female).

4. Informal. a generous or helpful person.

   You're a doll for lending me your car.

5. Slang. a barbiturate in pill form.

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verb phrase

1. doll up

   1. to dress, groom, or style oneself in an elegant or ostentatiously fashionable manner.

      She got all dolled up for an evening at the opera.

   2. to make more attractive, as by decorating or embellishing.

      The street was dolled up with showy flowers and colorful banners.

doll British  

/ dɒl /

noun

1. a small model or dummy of a human being, used as a toy

2. slang a pretty girl or woman of little intelligence: sometimes used as a term of address

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Other Word Forms

• doll-like adjective
• dollish adjective
• dollishly adverb
• dollishness noun

Etymology

Origin of doll

First recorded in 1550–60; generic use of Doll

Example Sentences

“You don’t need 37 dolls for your daughter. Two or three is nice, but you don’t need 37 dolls.”

From Los Angeles Times

Most Americans don’t like being told that they’re delusional or stupid or that their children should learn to make do with fewer dolls on Christmas.

From The Wall Street Journal

They were a gift from one of his friends, who left them there with a note telling me that these dolls were also without a home, and asking if I could care for them.

From Los Angeles Times

And enduring the icebreaker incident on “The Bachelor” with my daughters was certainly a long way from having tea parties with their American Girl dolls when they were little.

From The Wall Street Journal

“You can give up certain products. You can give up pencils…You don’t need 37 dolls for your daughter. Two or three is nice.”

From Salon

Related Words

• figurine
• model
• puppet