lay figure

lay figure

n.

1. See mannequin.

2. A subservient or insignificant person.

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[From obsolete layman, from Dutch leeman, variant of ledenman : obsolete Dutch led, limb (from Middle Dutch lit) + man, man (from Middle Dutch; see manikin).]

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lay figure

Noun

1. an artist's jointed dummy, used esp. for studying effects of drapery

2. a person considered to be subservient or unimportant [Dutch leeman, literally: joint-man]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

lay figure - dummy in the form of an artist's jointed model of the human body dummy - a figure representing the human form