I. ˈdə-mē noun
( plural dummies )
Etymology: dumb (I) + -y (IV)
Date: 1598
1.
a. : a person who is incapable of speaking
b. : a person who is habitually silent
c. : a stupid person
2.
a. : the exposed hand in bridge played by the declarer in addition to his own hand
b. : a bridge player whose hand is a dummy
3. : an imitation, copy, or likeness of something used as a substitute: as
a. : mannequin
b. : a stuffed figure or cylindrical bag used by football players for tackling and blocking practice
c. : a large puppet usually having movable features (as mouth and arms) manipulated by a ventriloquist
d. chiefly British : pacifier 2
4. : one seeming to act independently but in reality controlled by another
5.
a. : a mock-up of a proposed publication (as a book or magazine)
b. : a set of pages (as for a newspaper or magazine) with the position of text and artwork indicated for the printer
II. adjective
Date: 1846
1.
a. : having the appearance of being real : artificial
dummy foods in the display case
b. : existing in name only : fictitious
dummy corporations
2. : apparently acting for oneself while really acting for or at the direction of another
a dummy director
III. transitive verb
( dum·mied ; dum·my·ing )
Date: circa 1928
: to make a dummy of (as a publication) — often used with up
dummied up the front page