dummy

American  

[duhm-ee] / ˈdʌm i /

noun

PLURAL

dummies

1. an imitation, representation, or copy of something, such as for display, testing, or use as a stage prop.

   On the counter was a display of lipstick dummies made of colored plastic.

   This slide presentation is just a dummy to try out the template I made.

2. a representation of a human figure for displaying or fitting clothes; mannequin.

   When I put the dress on the dummy to pin the hem, I saw a few spots where it wasn't quite symmetrical.

3. Informal.  a stupid person; dolt.

   Only a dummy would fall for that scam.

4. a person who has nothing to say or who takes no active part in affairs.

   I was on the board only as a dummy, signing what the other directors told me to.

5. someone or something put forward with the appearance of acting independently while secretly acting for people who do not appear to be involved.

   The property deed was in her name, but she was only a dummy for a labor trafficking ring.

6. Slang.

   1. Older Use: Offensive.  a person who is not able to speak.

   2. a person who is characteristically and habitually silent.

7. Bridge.

   1. the declarer's partner, whose hand is exposed and played by the declarer.

   2. the hand of cards so exposed.

   3. a game so played.

   4. an imaginary player represented by an exposed hand that is played by and serves as partner to one of the players.

8. Chiefly British.  pacifier.

9. Printing.  sheets folded and made up to show the size, shape, form, sequence, and general style of a contemplated piece of printing.

   We’ll be using better quality paper than you see in this dummy.

10. a rammer for pushing out dents in lead pipe.

11. Computers.  an artificial address, instruction, or other piece of data 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. Sports.  a completed or feigned throw, pass, shot, etc., intended to mislead an opponent (also used attributively).

    He threw a dummy to shake off his blocker and create just enough space to fire a shot into the net.

    The defending player was completely sidetracked by the dummy pass, allowing us to score.

14. Dentistry.  pontic.

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adjective

1. being or relating to an imitation, representation, or copy.

   Some businesses use dummy cameras along with a few live ones to deter thieves.

2. performed as a trial or practice run.

   We played a dummy round to learn the rules of the game without counting points.

3. counterfeit; sham; fictitious.

   One group in the study took one tablet of the drug daily, while the other group was given dummy pills.

   He created a few dummy friends on his page to make it look like he had more.

4. put forward or set up with the appearance of acting independently while secretly acting for people who do not appear to be involved.

   Two city councilors formed a dummy construction company so they could pay themselves inflated prices for the work done.

5. Cards.  played with a partner whose hand is exposed.

verb (used with object)

dummied, dummying

1. Printing.  to prepare a blank or empty test copy of (often followed byup ).

   The designer dummied up the book so we could study the format.

2. to represent in a test copy or version (often followed byin ).

   We dummied in a few illustrations to show the proposed layout for the homepage.

3. Sports.

   1. to pretend to make or receive (a throw, pass, etc.) in order to mislead one’s opponent.

      The forward dummied the free kick before it reached his teammate, who immediately scored.

   2. to mislead (an opponent) in this way.

      She dummied her tackler before firing a low shot past the defense.

verb (used without object)

1. Sports.  to pretend to make or receive a throw, pass, etc..

   He dummied and then threw to another player.

verb phrase

1. dummy up  to keep silent; refuse to answer.

   If anybody asks you, just dummy up.

dummy British  

/ ˈdʌmɪ /

noun

1. a figure representing the human form, used for displaying clothes, in a ventriloquist's act, as a target, etc

2. 1. a copy or imitation of an object, often lacking some essential feature of the original

   2. ( as modifier )

      a dummy drawer

3. slang  a stupid person; fool

4. derogatory  a person without the power of speech; mute

5. informal  a person who says or does nothing

6. 1. a person who appears to act for himself while acting on behalf of another

   2. ( as modifier )

      a dummy buyer

7. military a weighted round without explosives, used in drill and training

8. bridge

   1. the hand exposed on the table by the declarer's partner and played by the declarer

   2. the declarer's partner

9. 1. a prototype of a proposed book, indicating the general appearance and dimensions of the finished product

   2. 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. 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

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verb

1. to prepare a dummy of (a proposed book, page, etc)

2. Also: sell someone a dummy.  sport to use a dummy pass in order to trick (an opponent)

dummy Cultural  

1. 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.

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Sensitive Note

See dumb.

Etymology

Origin of dummy

First recorded in 1590–1600; 1915–20, dummy for def. 24; dumb + -y ³

Example Sentences

But the studies showed the GLP-1 drug, which is already used to manage type 2 diabetes and obesity, made no difference compared to a dummy drug.

From BBC

The Lions were playing frantically and without accuracy, but did find their range through the impressive Alex Mitchell, who dummied his way over for the tourists' third try midway through the second half.

From BBC

In some scenes, Jo held a silicone dummy and in others, a robotic puppet.

From Salon

The actor said he was a "crash test dummy for MeToo" and that he knew the trial would air piles and piles of dirty laundry.

From Salon

And in 2023, photos circulating on social media showed supermarkets had fitted products including steaks and cheese with security tags, while coffee was replaced with dummy jars.

From BBC

Related Words

• idiot