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straw man

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Financial, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.02 sec.
straw man
n.
1. A person who is set up as a cover or front for a questionable enterprise.
2. An argument or opponent set up so as to be easily refuted or defeated.
3. A bundle of straw made into the likeness of a man and often used as a scarecrow.

straw man
n Chiefly US
1. (Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Crafts) a figure of a man made from straw
2. another term for man of straw
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.straw manstraw man - a person used as a cover for some questionable activity
beguiler, cheater, deceiver, trickster, slicker, cheat - someone who leads you to believe something that is not true
2.straw man - a weak or sham argument set up to be easily refuted
specious argument - an argument that appears good at first view but is really fallacious
3.straw manstraw man - an effigy in the shape of a man to frighten birds away from seeds
effigy, simulacrum, image - a representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture); "the coin bears an effigy of Lincoln"; "the emperor's tomb had his image carved in stone"


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
The Wizard was also most heartily welcomed by the straw man, who was an important personage in the Land of Oz.
 
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