scapegoat
Other forms: scapegoating; scapegoats; scapegoated
The Bible depicts a ritual in which a goat is sent out into the desert bearing the faults of the people of Israel. The word scapegoat first occurred in the earliest English translation of the Bible, and it has come to mean any individual punished for the misdeeds of others.
When a politician gets caught lying, he or she might use an assistant as a scapegoat. Somehow the lie will wind up being the assistant's fault. Your mom might tell you to use her as a scapegoat if you need to. So if your friends want you to go to a wild party and you don't want to, you should tell them your mom won't let you. That way, they will be mad at her and not at you. A fall guy is similar to a scapegoat, but it is mostly used if your scheme has been found out and one of your group of schemers must take the consequences.
-
someone who is punished for the errors of otherssynonyms: whipping boytype of:victiman unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
-
blame or punish someone for the errors of others
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing scapegoat
This list focuses on idioms and expressions that relate to animals.
Most of these words are built from two common terms, and yet their meanings don't necessarily add up to what you'd expect. Even if you recognise and use these terms sometimes, do you know their origins and definitions?
Jane is a strong-willed young woman who finds employment as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets the mysterious Edward Rochester and learns his darkest secret.