dummy

UK: /ˈdʌmi/ US: /ˈdʌmi/ ,(dum′ē)

Inflections of 'dummy' (n): npl: dummies

Inflections of 'dummy' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

dummies

v 3rd person singular

dummying

v pres p

dummied

v past

dummied

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dum•my /ˈdʌmi/   n., pl. -mies, adj. 
n. [countable]

1. Slang Terms an object resembling a human figure, such as for displaying clothes:
   the dummy in the shop window.
2. Informal Terms an imitation or copy of something, such as for use in a display:
   lipstick dummies made of colored plastic.
3. [Informal.] a stupid person;
   fool;
   dolt:
   Some dummy mixed up our application.
4. a person who has nothing to say or who takes no active part in affairs.
5. one put forward to act for others while pretending to act for himself or herself.
6. [Slang.]
   • [Offensive.] a person who lacks the power of speech.
   • a person who is always silent.
7. Games (in bridge)
   • the hand which is exposed and played by the person who has won the bidding.
8. Military a bomb that cannot explode, used for practice exercises.

adj. [before a noun]

9. noting or relating to an imitation or copy:
   some dummy shells in the gun.
10. put forward to act for others while seeming to act for oneself:
    a dummy corporation that was actually controlled by a conglomerate.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dum•my  (dum′ē), n., pl. -mies, adj., v., -mied, -my•ing. 
n. 

1. Informal Terms a representation or copy of something, as for displaying to indicate appearance:
   a display of lipstick dummies made of colored plastic.
2. Slang Terms a representation of a human figure, as for displaying clothes in store windows.
3. [Informal.] a stupid person;
   dolt.
4. a person who has nothing to say or who takes no active part in affairs.
5. one put forward to act for others while ostensibly acting for oneself.
6. [Slang]
   • (offensive). a person who lacks the power of speech.
   • a person who is characteristically and habitually silent.
7. Games [Bridge.]
   • 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.
8. British Terms pacifier (def. 2).
9. [Print.] sheets folded and made up to show the size, shape, form, sequence, and general style of a contemplated piece of printing.
10. Metallurgy a rammer for pushing out dents in lead pipe.
11. [Computers.] an artificial address, instruction, or other datum 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. Dentistry pontic.

adj. 

14. noting or pertaining to an imitation, representation, or copy.
15. counterfeit;
    sham;
    fictitious.
16. put forward to act for others while ostensibly acting for oneself.
17. [Cards.] played with a dummy.

v.t. 

18. [Print.] to prepare a dummy of (often fol. by up):
    The designer dummied up the book so that they could study the format.
19. to represent in a dummy (often fol. by in):
    to dummy in an illustration.
20. dummy up, [Informal.] to keep silent;
    refuse to answer:
    If anybody asks you, just dummy up.

• 1590–1600; 1915–20, American. for def. 20; dumb + -y³

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dummy / ˈdʌmɪ/ noun ( -mies)

1. a figure representing the human form, used for displaying clothes, in a ventriloquist's act, as a target, etc
2. a copy or imitation of an object, often lacking some essential feature of the original
3. (as modifier): a dummy drawer
4. a stupid person; fool
5. a person without the power of speech; mute
6. a person who says or does nothing
7. a person who appears to act for himself or herself while acting on behalf of another
8. (as modifier): a dummy buyer
9. a weighted round without explosives, used in drill and training
10. the hand exposed on the table by the declarer's partner and played by the declarer
11. the declarer's partner
12. a prototype of a proposed book, indicating the general appearance and dimensions of the finished product
13. a designer's layout of a page indicating the positions for illustrations, etc
14. a feigned pass or move in a sport such as football or rugby
15. a rubber teat for babies to suck or bite on
    US and Canadian equivalent: pacifier
16. (modifier) counterfeit; sham
17. (modifier) (of a card game) played with one hand exposed or unplayed
18. spit the dummy ⇒ to lose control of one's temper

Etymology: 16th Century: see dumb, -y³