WHIPPING BOY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does whipping boy mean? 

• WHIPPING BOY (noun)
  The noun WHIPPING BOY has 1 sense:

1. someone who is punished for the errors of others

  Familiarity information: WHIPPING BOY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WHIPPING BOY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who is punished for the errors of others

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

scapegoat; whipping boy

Hypernyms ("whipping boy" is a kind of...):

victim (an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance)