straw man

straw man
noun
1. an effigy in the shape of a man to frighten birds away from seeds
• Syn: ↑scarecrow, ↑strawman, ↑bird-scarer, ↑scarer
• Derivationally related forms: ↑scare (for: ↑scarer)
• Hypernyms: ↑effigy, ↑image, ↑simulacrum
2. a person used as a cover for some questionable activity
• Syn: ↑front man, ↑front, ↑figurehead, ↑nominal head, ↑strawman
• Hypernyms: ↑deceiver, ↑cheat, ↑cheater, ↑trickster, ↑beguiler, ↑slicker
3. a weak or sham argument set up to be easily refuted
• Syn: ↑strawman
• Hypernyms: ↑specious argument

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noun

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1. a mass of straw formed to resemble a man, as for a doll or scarecrow.
2. a person whose importance or function is only nominal, as to cover another's activities; front.
3. a fabricated or conveniently weak or innocuous person, object, matter, etc., used as a seeming adversary or argument: The issue she railed about was no more than a straw man.
[1585-95]

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straw man noun
A man of straw (see under ↑man1)
• • •
Main Entry: ↑straw

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straw man UK US noun [countable] [singular straw man plural straw men]
someone or something that is criticized or attacked but is not really important, powerful, or bad
Thesaurus: unimportant or unnecessary thing or detailsynonym unimportant person or peoplesynonym

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straw man,
1. an imaginary opponent or opposing argument, put up in order to be defeated or refuted; man of straw.
2. a person put up as a surety in a fraudulent action: »

The usual procedure…is for straw men to set up the Corporation and then resign to turn it over to its directors (Wall Street Journal).

3. = puppet (def. 1b). (Cf. ↑puppet)

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n. a person compared to a straw image; a sham
■ a sham argument set up to be defeated

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noun, pl ⋯ men [count]
US : a weak or imaginary argument or opponent that is set up to be easily defeated — called also (chiefly Brit) man of straw

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • straw man — n: an intermediary for a transaction (as a conveyance of real property) Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. straw man n …   Law dictionary

  • straw man — 1590s, doll or scarecrow made of bound straw, from STRAW (Cf. straw) + MAN (Cf. man). Figuratively, in debates, by 1896. Man of straw imaginary opponent is recorded from 1620s …   Etymology dictionary

  • straw man — A straw man is a weak argument that is easily defeated. It can also be a person who is used as to give an illegal or inappropriate activity an appearance of respectability …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • straw man — noun count someone or something that is criticized or attacked but is not really important, powerful, or bad …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • straw man — straw′ man′ n. 1) a person whose function is only to cover another s activities; front 2) a conveniently weak or innocuous person, object, or issue used as a seeming adversary or argument • Etymology: 1895–1900 …   From formal English to slang

  • straw man — or party A front ; a third party who is put up in name only to take part in a transaction. Nominal party to a transaction; one who acts as an agent for another for the purpose of taking title to real property and executing whatever documents and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • straw man — n. 1. SCARECROW 2. a person of little importance; nonentity 3. a weak argument or opposing view set up by a politician, debater, etc. so as to be able to attack it and gain an easy, showy victory 4. a person used to disguise another s intentions …   English World dictionary

  • Straw man — This article is about the logical fallacy. For other uses, see Straw man (disambiguation). Man of straw redirects here. For the novel by Heinrich Mann, see Der Untertan. For the agricultural tool used to scare birds, see Scarecrow. A straw man is …   Wikipedia

  • straw man — /ˈstrɔ mæn/ (say straw man) noun 1. a figure of a man stuffed with straw, as for a scarecrow, target, etc. 2. an argument deliberately put up so that it can be knocked down, usually as a distraction from other arguments which cannot be so easily… …  

  • straw man — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms straw man : singular straw man plural straw men someone or something that is criticized or attacked but is not really important, powerful, or bad …   English dictionary

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