whipping boy
English
Etymology
First recorded in 1647.
Noun
whipping boy (plural whipping boys)
- (historical) A boy that was whipped in the stead of a misbehaving prince.
- As the whipping boy, he must take the whippings for the royal heir, Prince Brat.
- (transferred sense) Someone punished for the errors of others.
- Synonyms: scapegoat; see also Thesaurus:scapegoat
- Coordinate term: whipping girl
Translations
someone punished for the errors of others
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