straw man

Significado (Inglês)

Noun

1. A doll or scarecrow, particularly one stuffed with straw.
2. (figuratively) An innocuous person or someone of nominal or lesser importance, as a front man or straw boss.
3. (figuratively) An insubstantial concept, idea, endeavor or argument, particularly one deliberately set up to be weakly supported, e.g. by misrepresenting an opponent's argument by broadening or narrowing the scope of a premise, so that it can be easily knocked down; especially to impugn the strength of any related or contrasted thing or idea.
4. (figuratively) An outline serving as an initial proposal for a project, usually refined iteratively.
5. Synonym of straw buyer.

Verb

To falsely attribute an insubstantial argument (a straw man argument) to another through direct declaration or indirect implication; to put words in someone's mouth.

Conceitos

espantalho

modelo

testa-de-ferro

referencial

Falácia do espantalho

Falácia do homem de palha

Oposto de

steelman

Sinônimos

strawman

scarecrow

front man

figurehead

scarer

nominal head

straw person

pretext

bird-scarer

front

nominal owners

guise

lifeline

pretence

pretense

self-justification

stalking-horse

fish

🐟

excuse

Traduções

homme de paille

épouvantail

home de palla

Strohmann

espantaocells

σκιάχτρο

spaventapasseri

informelle Abstimmung

αχυράνθρωπος

prestanome

spauracchio

uomo di paglia

stroman

Etimologia (Inglês)

Cognato com frísio ocidental: strieman

Cognato com holandês: strooman

Cognato com alemão: Strohmann

Cognato com dinamarquês: stråmand

Cognato com sueco: stråman

Cognato com norueguês: stråmann

In summary

From straw + man.
Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1986 passim, shows first known usages for things insubstantial date to 1585-95. Universal Dictionary of the English Language, 1897, Vol 4, p. 4485, notes “man of straw” as “The figure of a man formed of an old suit of clothes stuffed with straw; hence, the mere resemblance of a man; one of no substance or means; an imaginary person.”
Compare West Frisian strieman, Dutch strooman, stroman, German Strohmann, Danish stråmand, Swedish stråman, Norwegian stråmann.