whipping boy
Originating from a historical practice involving royal education, the term "whipping boy" now commonly describes someone who is unjustly punished for others' mistakes.
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Definition
C2History
(historical)A boy who was punished in place of a prince for the prince's misdeeds.
Example
- In the 17th century, a whipping boy would receive the punishment meant for a misbehaving prince.
B2General
(metaphorical)A person who is unfairly blamed or punished for the mistakes of others.
Example
- He became the office whipping boy, taking the fall for his team's errors.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "whipping boy":