In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.
Dum"my, a. Etym: [See Dumb.]
1. Silent; mute; noiseless; as a dummy engine.
2. Fictitious or sham; feigned; as, a dummy watch. Dummy car. See under Car.
Dum"my, n.; pl. Dummies (.
1. One who is dumb. H. Smith.
2. A sham package in a shop, or one which does not contain what its exterior indicates.
3. An imitation or copy of something, to be used as a substitute; a model; a lay figure; as, a figure on which clothing is exhibited in shop windows; a blank paper copy used to show the size of the future book, etc.
4. (Drama)
Definition: One who plays a merely nominal part in any action; a sham character.
5. A thick-witted person; a dolt. [Colloq.]
6. (Railroad)
Definition: A locomotive with condensing engines, and, hence, without the noise of escaping steam; also, a dummy car.
7. (Card Playing)
Definition: The fourth or exposed hand when three persons play at a four- handed game of cards.
8. A floating barge connected with a pier. Knight. To play dummy, to play the exposed or dummy hand in cards. The partner of the dummy plays it.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
13 June 2025
(noun) an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets; “the flight was delayed due to trouble with the airplane”
In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.