dum•my
Pronunciation: (dum'ē), [key]
— n., pl. adj., v., -mies, -mied, -my•ing.
—n.
- a representation or copy of something, as for displaying to indicate appearance: a display of lipstick dummies made of colored plastic.
- a representation of a human figure, as for displaying clothes in store windows.
- a stupid person; dolt.
- a person who has nothing to say or who takes no active part in affairs.
- one put forward to act for others while ostensibly acting for oneself.
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- (offensive). a person who lacks the power of speech.
- a person who is characteristically and habitually silent.
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- the declarer's partner, whose hand is exposed and played by the declarer.
- the hand of cards so exposed.
- a game so played.
- an imaginary player represented by an exposed hand that is played by and serves as partner to one of the players.
- pacifier (def. 2).
- sheets folded and made up to show the size, shape, form, sequence, and general style of a contemplated piece of printing.
- a rammer for pushing out dents in lead pipe.
- an artificial address, instruction, or other datum fed into a computer only to fulfill prescribed conditions and not affecting operations for solving problems.
- a nonexplosive bomb used for practice exercises.
- pontic.
—adj.
- noting or pertaining to an imitation, representation, or copy.
- counterfeit; sham; fictitious.
- put forward to act for others while ostensibly acting for oneself.
- played with a dummy.
—v.t.
- to prepare a dummy of (often fol. by up): The designer dummied up the book so that they could study the format.
- to represent in a dummy (often fol. by in): to dummy in an illustration.
- to keep silent; refuse to answer: If anybody asks you, just dummy up.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.