whipping boy

whipping boy

noun

Definition of WHIPPING BOY

1

: a boy formerly educated with a prince and punished in his stead

2

: scapegoat 2

Examples of WHIPPING BOY

1. <used the government's economic policies as the whipping boy for every bad decision the company made>

First Known Use of WHIPPING BOY

1647

Related to WHIPPING BOY

Synonyms

fall guy, goat, scapegoat

Related Words

victim; butt, dupe, fool, laughingstock, mark, mockery, monkey; excuse

Rhymes with WHIPPING BOY

Adonai, altar boy, attaboy, bullyboy, cabin boy, Charleroi, chorus boy, copyboy, corduroy, good old boy, hoi polloi, mama's boy, Niterói, office boy, paperboy, poster boy, pretty boy, redeploy, roaring boy, sonobuoy, teddy boy, Tinkertoy, water boy