different between bogus vs dummy

English

Etymology

First attested as an underworld term for counterfeit coins. Later, the word was applied to anything of poor quality. The newest use to mean useless is probably from the slang of computer hackers.

The origin is unknown, but there are at least two theories that try to trace its origin:

• From Hausa boko (“to fake”). Since bogus first appeared in the United States, it may be possible that its ancestor was brought there on a slave ship.
• From criminal slang as a short form of tantrabogus, a 19th-century slang term for a menacing object, making some believe that bogus might be linked to bogy or bogey (see bogeyman). In this sense, Bogus might be related to Bogle – a traditional trickster from the Scottish Borders, noted for achieving acts of household trickery; confusing, but not usually damaging.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?b??.??s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?bo?.??s/
• Rhymes: -????s

Adjective

bogus (comparative more bogus, superlative most bogus)

1. Counterfeit or fake; not genuine.

   Synonyms: phony; see also Thesaurus:fake
2. Undesirable or harmful.
3. (computing, slang) Incorrect, useless, or broken.
4. (philately) Of a totally fictitious issue printed for collectors, often issued on behalf of a non-existent territory or country (not to be confused with forgery, which is an illegitimate copy of a genuine stamp).

   Synonym: illegal
5. Based on false or misleading information or unjustified assumptions.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

bogus (uncountable)

1. (US, dialect) A liquor made of rum and molasses.

Related terms

• calibogus

English

Alternative forms

• dumbie, dumby (rare)

Etymology

From dumb +? -y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?mi/
• Rhymes: -?mi

Noun

dummy (plural dummies)

1. (dated) A silent person; a person who does not talk.

   Synonym: dumby

   Coordinate term: mute
2. An unintelligent person.

   Synonym: dumby

   Coordinate terms: half-wit, idiot

3. A figure of a person or animal used by a ventriloquist; a puppet.
4. Something constructed with the size and form of a human, to be used in place of a person.

   Synonyms: mannequin, marionette
5. A person who is the mere tool of another; a man of straw.
6. A deliberately nonfunctional device or tool used in place of a functional one.

7. (Australia, Britain, New Zealand) A "dummy teat"; a plastic or rubber teat used to soothe or comfort a baby; a pacifier. [from 20th c.]

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:pacifier

   • 2006, Tizzie Hall, Save Our Sleep: A Parents? Guide Towards Happy, Sleeping Babies from Birth to Two Years, MacMillan 2009, page 200,

     Then on the fifth day, at the first sleep of the day, remove the dummy and follow my settling guide for your baby?s age. You should throw all her dummies in the bin to ensure you are not tempted to use them again – even outside sleep times.

   • 2011, Simone Cave, Caroline Fertleman, Baby to Toddler Month by Month, page 85,

     We?ve found that going cold turkey works best – you check that your baby isn't ill or teething, then throw all dummies away. When your baby cries for her dummy, you can look her in the eye and say, ‘It?s gone,’ and really mean it.

8. (card games, chiefly bridge) A player whose hand is shown and is to be played from by another player.
9. (linguistics) A word serving only to make a construction grammatical.

10. (programming) An unused parameter or value.

11. (sports, chiefly rugby, soccer) A feigned pass or kick or play in order to deceive an opponent.
12. (sports, Britain) A bodily gesture meant to fool an opposing player; a feint.

    Synonym: juke

Derived terms

• dummy bid
• dummy bidder
• sell the dummy

Related terms

• (silent person): dumb
• (unintelligent person): dumb

Translations

See also

(non-functional device):

• dud
• fake

(gesture meant to fool):

• feint

Further reading

• http://www.languagehat.com/archives/002594.php

Verb

dummy (third-person singular simple present dummies, present participle dummying, simple past and past participle dummied)

1. To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.

   The carpenters dummied some props for the rehearsals.

2. (sports) To feint.

   Synonym: juke

Adverb

dummy (comparative more dummy, superlative most dummy)

1. (slang) Extremely.

   It's dummy hot outside.

Derived terms

• dummy out
• dummy up