English

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Etymology

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First recorded in 1647.

Noun

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whipping boy (plural whipping boys)

  1. (historical) A boy that was whipped in the stead of a misbehaving prince.
    As the whipping boy, he must take the whippings for the royal heir, Prince Brat.
  2. (transferred sense) Someone punished for the errors of others.
    Synonyms: scapegoat; see also Thesaurus:scapegoat
    Coordinate term: whipping girl

Translations

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