dummy

dummy — noun

1. a life-sized copy of a human body, used to put garments on for retail display, t

1.nounB1
Definition

a life-sized copy of a human body, used to put garments on for retail display, to train people in first aid, or to test how products hold up under pressure

Example

The shop window displayed a wooden dummy wearing a long red dress.

Sahil used a dummy to practise giving first aid to someone who was hurt.

collocation: crash-test dummy / tailor's dummy / practice dummy

Common collocations
  • tailor's dummy
  • crash-test dummy
  • practice dummy
  • ventriloquist's dummy
Synonyms
  • mannequin

    specifically a fashion dummy used in shop displays; dummy is more general

  • model

    can be smaller-scale or represent non-human things; dummy is always life-sized or body-shaped

  • figure

    broader term; a dummy is always a figure but a figure may not be a dummy

Usage Note

Often appears in compound nouns such as crash-test dummy, tailor's dummy, and practice dummy.

Common Mistakes

The mannequin is just a dummy, not a real body.
The tailor used a dummy to display the wedding dress.
'mannequin' and 'dummy' overlap in meaning; 'mannequin' is preferred in fashion retail contexts.

2. an object that looks like a real thing but is made to be used for practice, test

2.nounB1
Definition

an object that looks like a real thing but is made to be used for practice, testing, or to trick other people

Example

The army placed dummies of tanks in the field to confuse enemy planes.

collocation: dummy tank / dummy bomb / dummy weapon

Yuna trained for her exam with a dummy version of the test paper.

collocation: dummy version / dummy run

Common collocations
  • dummy run
  • dummy version
  • dummy corporation
  • dummy tank
  • dummy bomb
Synonyms
  • copy

    neutral term; a dummy is a copy made specifically to substitute for or imitate the real thing

  • replica

    suggests exact detail; a dummy may be less detailed but still convincing

  • imitation

    focuses on the act of copying; a dummy focuses on function (substitution or deception)

Antonyms
  • original

    the genuine article that the dummy replaces or imitates

Usage Note

Common in compounds like dummy run (a practice trial), dummy corporation (a company with no real operations), and dummy door (a fake door for symmetry).

Common Mistakes

We did a fake run of the presentation.
We did a dummy run of the presentation.
'dummy run' is the fixed collocation for a practice session.

3. a move in football or rugby where a player pretends to kick or pass the ball one

3.nounB2
Definition

a move in football or rugby where a player pretends to kick or pass the ball one way, then does something different to trick the opposing team

Example

The striker sold a beautiful dummy and ran past the goalkeeper.

collocation: sell a dummy (give a feint)

Paloma practised the dummy pass until she could fool any defender.

collocation: dummy pass / dummy shot

Common collocations
  • sell a dummy
  • dummy pass
  • dummy shot
  • dummy run (sports)
Synonyms
  • feint

    used across multiple sports, slightly more formal; dummy is specific to football/rugby

  • fake

    common in American sports; dummy is the British equivalent

  • deceptive move

    descriptive phrase covering any trick that misleads an opponent

Usage Note

Chiefly British football (soccer) terminology. In North American sports the equivalent terms are 'fake' or 'feint'. The fixed phrase 'sell a dummy' means to successfully deceive an opponent with this move.

Common Mistakes

He sold a fake to the defender.
He sold a dummy to the defender.
'sell a dummy' is the fixed expression; 'fake' is not used in this phrase in British football.

4. a small teat-shaped item made from soft material that a baby holds in its mouth

4.nounB1
Definition

a small teat-shaped item made from soft material that a baby holds in its mouth to feel comforted or to stop crying

Example

The baby dropped her dummy on the floor and started to cry loudly.

Talia keeps a spare dummy in her bag in case the baby wakes up.

Common collocations
  • baby dummy
  • give a dummy
  • suck a dummy
Synonyms
  • pacifier

    American English term for the same object

  • soother

    Canadian English term; less common globally

Usage Note

Called a 'pacifier' in American English and a 'soother' in Canadian English. This sense is the only one that refers to an object for babies.

Common Mistakes

The baby sucks on a dummy.
The baby sucks on a dummy / pacifier.
Both 'dummy' and 'pacifier' are correct; teach learners the variety difference (British vs. American) rather than treating one as wrong.

5. a person who is not intelligent or who does things that are not sensible, often

5.nounB2
Definition

a person who is not intelligent or who does things that are not sensible, often used to express annoyance or to tease someone gently

Example

Christopher called him a dummy for leaving the car keys inside the house.

informal register: teasing insult

Only a dummy would walk across the train tracks with headphones on.

Common collocations
  • feel like a dummy
  • call someone a dummy
  • don't be a dummy
Synonyms
  • idiot

    stronger and more offensive; dummy is milder

  • fool

    similar strength but more formal/old-fashioned; dummy feels more modern and colloquial

  • blockhead

    less common, slightly humorous

  • simpleton

    milder but less common in modern speech

Antonyms
  • genius

    someone with exceptional intelligence

  • brain

    informal; someone very intelligent

Usage Note

Informal and mildly insulting; comparable to 'idiot' in strength. Less harsh than stronger insults, but still rude if directed at someone directly. Often used affectionately among friends or as a self-directed tease.

Common Mistakes

Don't be a dummy person.
Don't be a dummy.
'dummy' already means a person; adding 'person' is grammatically awkward and redundant.

dummy — adjective

dummy — verb

Word family

  • dummied
    adjectiveC1
  • dummying
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A dummy is a life-sized human-shaped object used for displaying clothes (tailor's dummy), for safety testing (crash-test dummy), or as a practice substitute (resuscitation dummy). A mannequin is specifically a dummy used in fashion retail — it has more natural proportions and poses, often with a wig and makeup. A model can be any scale (model car, architectural model), while a dummy is always roughly human-sized. A figure is the broadest term, covering any shape or form — a dummy is always a figure, but a figure could just be a stick drawing. A doll is smaller, meant as a toy, and not used for professional display or testing. In everyday use: 'The shop window had a mannequin in a silk dress' (fashion context), while 'The rescue team practised on a dummy' (training context).

mannequinmodel ↗figure ↗doll ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • dummy run
  • dummy test
  • dummy version
  • dummy corporation
  • dummy text

Phrases

  • sell a dummy

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'dummy' was formed in the 16th century by adding the -y ending to 'dumb', which at that time meant 'unable to speak' rather than 'stupid'. A 'dummy' was originally a mute person. By the 18th century it had expanded to mean any silent or substitute figure — first a silent person in a card game (the dummy hand in bridge), then a model of a person used for display or practice. The 'stupid person' meaning appeared in the 19th century, when 'dumb' was also taking on its modern sense of 'unintelligent'. The sports feint sense emerged in British football in the early 20th century.