Definition of Straw man

1. Noun. A person used as a cover for some questionable activity.


2. Noun. A weak or sham argument set up to be easily refuted.
Exact synonyms: Strawman
Generic synonyms: Specious Argument

3. Noun. An effigy in the shape of a man to frighten birds away from seeds.
Exact synonyms: Bird-scarer, Scarecrow, Scarer, Strawman
Generic synonyms: Effigy, Image, Simulacrum
Derivative terms: Scare

Definition of Straw man

1. Noun. A doll or scarecrow (particularly one stuffed with straw). ¹

2. Noun. An insubstantial concept, idea, endeavor or argument, particularly one deliberately set up to be weakly supported, so that it can be easily knocked down; especially to impugn the strength of any related thing or idea. ¹

3. Noun. An innocuous person or someone of nominal or lesser importance, as a front man or straw boss. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Straw Man

stravaging
stravaig
stravaige
stravaiged
stravaiges
stravaiging
stravaigs
straw
straw-colored
straw boss
straw bosses
straw donor
straw foxglove
straw hat
straw hats
straw man
straw men
straw mushroom
straw mushrooms
straw nail
straw nails
straw poll
straw polls
straw shoe
straw tick
straw vote
straw wine
strawbana
strawberried
strawberries

Literary usage of Straw man

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion by James George Frazer (1900)
"Finally they burned a straw-man on the field.2 In the district of Diisseldorf the straw-man burned on Shrove Tuesday was made of an ..."

2. The Yesterdays of Grand Rapids,. by Charles Eugene Belknap (1922)
"... the same instinct that controlled their flights guided them to some vast wilderness unknown to man? The straw man Along in the 1850's the mattress maker ..."

3. Skilful Thinking by G. J. Rossouw, Craig MacKenzie (1994)
"1.2 The straw man fallacy In the Middle Ages people used straw dolls to ... "The straw man fallacy" is a good name for this fallacy because in it person A's ..."

4. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bombay by Asiatic Society of Bombay (1872)
"The straw-man began to prove from various Shastras, that there is no God but Shiva — to the utter amazement of all wh" were present. ..."

5. The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll by Robert Green Ingersoll (1901)
"the name of Smith, a teacher in some seminary out in Ohio, challenged this " man of straw," and the straw man put him out. Both these reverend gentlemen ..."

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