patsy
1 Americannoun
plural
patsies-
a person who is easily swindled, deceived, coerced, persuaded, etc.; sucker.
-
a person upon whom the blame for something falls; scapegoat; fall guy.
-
a person who is the object of a joke, ridicule, or the like.
noun
-
a person who is easily cheated, victimized, etc
-
a scapegoat
Etymology
Origin of patsy
An Americanism dating back to 1900–05; origin uncertain
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said crackpot theories have found oxygen in historical amnesia: “If there’s no motive, they can promote their idea that he was just an innocent patsy.”
From Los Angeles Times
And I don’t see the party as playing the patsy, either.
From Los Angeles Times
Granted, this first game was against the tanking Jazz, the same franchise that played patsy to Bryant’s 60 points nine years ago.
From Los Angeles Times
Getting rid of Notre Dame from football schedule to play a patsy?
From Los Angeles Times
That’s the one in which Arthur’s trusted patsy, Patsy, slaps coconut halves together so the deluded king can pretend he has a horse.
From New York Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
