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- DictionaryAunt Sal·ly/ˌant ˈsalē/
noun
- 1. a game played in some parts of Britain in which players throw sticks or balls at a wooden dummy.
The meaning of AUNT SALLY is an object of criticism or contention; especially : one that is set up to invite criticism or be easily refuted.
Aunt Sally. Something or someone set up as the object of criticism, derision, or as an easily defeated opposing opinion (i.e., a straw man). Named after a game where sticks or balls are thrown at a clay or wooden head (the Aunt Sally). Primarily heard in UK.
noun. a figure of an old woman's head, typically with a clay pipe, used in fairgrounds and fêtes as a target for balls or other objects. any person who is a target for insults or criticism. something set up as a target for disagreement or attack. Discover More.
The foreign minister has become everybody's favourite Aunt Sally. Definition of Aunt Sally noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
1. a figure of an old woman's head, typically with a clay pipe, used in fairgrounds and fêtes as a target for balls or other objects. 2. any person who is a target for insults or criticism. 3. something set up as a target for disagreement or attack. Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers.
What does the noun Aunt Sally mean? There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun Aunt Sally . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
1. a figure of an old woman's head, typically with a clay pipe, used in fairgrounds and fêtes as a target for balls or other objects. 2. any person who is a target for insults or criticism. 3. something set up as a target for disagreement or attack.
Aunt Sally Definition. A person or idea seen or set up as an easy target for criticism. A traditional game in which balls are thrown to break the pipe in the mouth of a figurine resembling an old woman. (idiomatic) A figure drawing criticism or ridicule; a straw man.
Aunt Sally is a traditional English game usually played in pub gardens and fairgrounds, in which players throw sticks or battens at a ball, known as a 'dolly', balanced on top of a stick; traditionally, a model of an old woman's head was sometimes used.
May 30, 2024 · 1. An object of criticism. 2. Someone or something set up as an easy target for criticism in order to deflect it from others. ETYMOLOGY: From aunt, from Old French ante, from Latin amita (father’s sister), diminutive of amma (mother) + Sally, a form of the name Sarah. Earliest documented use: 1858. NOTES:
