whipping boy

noun

1. a person who is made to bear the blame for another's mistake; scapegoat.

2. (formerly) a boy educated along with and taking punishment in place of a young prince or nobleman.

whipping boy

noun

1. a person of little importance who is blamed for the errors, incompetence, etc, of others, esp his superiors; scapegoat

Word History and Origins

Origin of whipping boy¹

First recorded in 1640–50

Word History and Origins

Origin of whipping boy¹

C17: originally referring to a boy who was educated with a prince and who received punishment for any faults committed by the prince

Idioms and Phrases

A scapegoat, as in This department's always been the whipping boy when things don't go well. This expression alludes to the former practice of keeping a boy to be whipped in place of a prince who was to be punished. [Early 1900s]

Related Words

• fall guy 
• patsy 
• scapegoat