- straw man
- noun Date: 1886 1. a weak or imaginary opposition (as an argument or adversary) set up only to be easily confuted 2. a person set up to serve as a cover for a usually questionable transaction
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
straw man
Look at other dictionaries:
straw man — n: an intermediary for a transaction (as a conveyance of real property) Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. straw man n … Law dictionary
straw man — 1590s, doll or scarecrow made of bound straw, from STRAW (Cf. straw) + MAN (Cf. man). Figuratively, in debates, by 1896. Man of straw imaginary opponent is recorded from 1620s … Etymology dictionary
straw man — A straw man is a weak argument that is easily defeated. It can also be a person who is used as to give an illegal or inappropriate activity an appearance of respectability … The small dictionary of idiomes
straw man — noun count someone or something that is criticized or attacked but is not really important, powerful, or bad … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
straw man — straw′ man′ n. 1) a person whose function is only to cover another s activities; front 2) a conveniently weak or innocuous person, object, or issue used as a seeming adversary or argument • Etymology: 1895–1900 … From formal English to slang
straw man — or party A front ; a third party who is put up in name only to take part in a transaction. Nominal party to a transaction; one who acts as an agent for another for the purpose of taking title to real property and executing whatever documents and… … Black's law dictionary
straw man — n. 1. SCARECROW 2. a person of little importance; nonentity 3. a weak argument or opposing view set up by a politician, debater, etc. so as to be able to attack it and gain an easy, showy victory 4. a person used to disguise another s intentions … English World dictionary
Straw man — This article is about the logical fallacy. For other uses, see Straw man (disambiguation). Man of straw redirects here. For the novel by Heinrich Mann, see Der Untertan. For the agricultural tool used to scare birds, see Scarecrow. A straw man is … Wikipedia
straw man — noun 1. an effigy in the shape of a man to frighten birds away from seeds • Syn: ↑scarecrow, ↑strawman, ↑bird scarer, ↑scarer • Derivationally related forms: ↑scare (for: ↑scarer) … Useful english dictionary
straw man — /ˈstrɔ mæn/ (say straw man) noun 1. a figure of a man stuffed with straw, as for a scarecrow, target, etc. 2. an argument deliberately put up so that it can be knocked down, usually as a distraction from other arguments which cannot be so easily… …
straw man — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms straw man : singular straw man plural straw men someone or something that is criticized or attacked but is not really important, powerful, or bad … English dictionary
