Adjacent Words

Puppet definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PUP'PET, n. [L. pupus. See Pup.]
1. A small image in the human form, moved by a wire in a mock drama; a wooden tragedian.
2. A doll.
3. A word of contempt.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a small figure of a person operated from above with strings by a puppeteer [syn: puppet, marionette]
2: a person who is controlled by others and is used to perform unpleasant or dishonest tasks for someone else [syn: creature, tool, puppet]
3: a doll with a hollow head of a person or animal and a cloth body; intended to fit over the hand and be manipulated with the fingers

Merriam Webster's

noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English popet youth, doll, from Middle French poupette, diminutive of *poupe doll, from Vulgar Latin *puppa, alteration of Latin pupa Date: 1538 1. a. a small-scale figure (as of a person or animal) usually with a cloth body and hollow head that fits over and is moved by the hand b. marionette 2. doll 1 3. one whose acts are controlled by an outside force or influence <a puppet ruler> • puppetlike adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a small figure representing a human being or animal and moved by various means as entertainment. 2 a person whose actions are controlled by another. Phrases and idioms: puppet State a country that is nominally independent but actually under the control of another power. Derivatives: puppetry n. Etymology: later form of POPPET

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Puppet Pup"pet, n. [OE. popet, OF. poupette; akin to F. poup['e]e a doll, probably from L. puppa, pupa, a girl, doll, puppet. Cf. Poupeton, Pupa, Pupil, Puppy.] [Written also poppet.] 1. A small image in the human form; a doll.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(puppets) 1. A puppet is a doll that you can move, either by pulling strings which are attached to it or by putting your hand inside its body and moving your fingers. N-COUNT 2. You can refer to a person or country as a puppet when you mean that their actions are controlled by a more powerful person or government, even though they may appear to be independent. When the invasion occurred he ruled as a puppet of the occupiers... N-COUNT: oft N n [disapproval]

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Doll. 2. Marionette, image. 3. Tool.

Moby Thesaurus

Charlie McCarthy, Elzevir, Federal, adherent, agate, agent, amanuensis, ancilla, apple-polisher, appliance, ass-licker, baby, backscratcher, backslapper, baggage agent, ball, baseball bat, bat, battledore, bauble, blocks, bootlick, bootlicker, brown-nose, brownie, business agent, bust, carving, checkerboard, chessboard, cipher, claim agent, clawback, clerk, club, cockhorse, commercial agent, commission agent, consignee, contrivance, courtier, creature, cricket bat, cringer, cue, customer agent, device, disciple, doll, doll carriage, dolly, dud, dummy, duodecimo, dupe, factor, fantoccini, fawner, fed, federal agent, figure, figurehead, figurine, flatterer, flunky, follower, footlicker, freight agent, front, front man, functionary, general agent, gewgaw, gillie, gimcrack, gingerbread man, go-between, golf club, goon, groveler, handmaid, handmaiden, handshaker, hanger-on, helot, henchman, hireling, hobbyhorse, hollow man, implement, instrument, insurance agent, interagent, intermediary, intermediate, intermedium, jack-in-the-box, jackal, jacks, jackstones, jackstraw, jackstraws, kickshaw, knickknack, kowtower, lackey, land agent, law agent, lay figure, led captain, lever, lickspit, lickspittle, literary agent, loan agent, man, man of straw, manikin, mannequin, marble, marionette, mealymouth, mechanism, mediator, medium, microcosm, midwife, mig, mini, miniature, minion, minny, model, monument, myrmidon, nebbish, news agent, nobody, nominal head, nonentity, nothing, nullity, official, organ, paper doll, parliamentary agent, passenger agent, patsy, pawn, peon, pick-up sticks, pinwheel, plaything, portrait bust, press agent, purchasing agent, pushover, racket, rag doll, real estate agent, rocking horse, sales agent, satellite, scarecrow, sculpture, secretary, serf, servant, slave, snowman, spaniel, special agent, sport, station agent, statuary, statue, statuette, steelie, steward, stooge, subminiature, suck, sucker, sycophant, taw, teetotum, theatrical agent, thing of naught, thug, ticket agent, timeserver, toad, toady, tool, top, toy, toy soldier, travel agent, trifle, trinket, truckler, tufthunter, twelvemo, vehicle, votary, walking delegate, wax figure, waxwork, whim-wham, wood carving, yes-man, zero