whipping boy
whipping boy · whipping boys
мальчик для битья, козёл отпущения, крайний, стрелочник
Prügelknabe, Prügeljunge
A boy who was whipped in the stead of a misbehaving prince in early modern EuropeA boy who was whipped in the stead of a misbehaving prince in early modern Europe.
Meaning
2 senses(historical)A boy who was whipped in the stead of a misbehaving prince in early modern Europe.
As the whipping boy, he must take the whippings for the royal heir, Prince Brat.
Someone punished for the errors of others.
Prügelknabe, Prügeljunge
ма́льчик для битья́málʹčik dlja bitʹjá, козёл отпуще́нияkozjól otpuščénija, крайнийkrajnij
a man who is punished for the errors of others
Translations
8 languagesРусский
By meaning 1
someone punished for the errors of others:
Deutsch
By meaning 1
someone punished for the errors of others:
Origin
First recorded in 1647. It is debated if this type of proxy punishment actually existed, oFirst recorded in 1647. It is debated if this type of proxy punishment actually existed, or how widespread it was.
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