Patsy
'pætsi
Definitions
A person who is used or manipulated, especially to take the blame for someone else's actions.
'pætsi
A person who is easily taken advantage of or blamed for something, typically because they are innocent or unaware.
The scapegoat was a patsy used to take the fall for the company's financial misdeeds.
💡 Simply: Imagine someone gets in trouble, and instead of the real person getting blamed, someone else who is innocent gets the blame. That innocent person is a patsy. Like, if your friend breaks a vase, and you take the blame because you want to protect them, you're a patsy!
👶 For kids: A patsy is someone who gets blamed for something they didn't do. It's like when you get blamed for something your brother did!
More Examples
He was a patsy, a pawn in their intricate game of deception.
The government made him a patsy, offering him up to the press to save face.
How It's Used
"The mayor was made a patsy for the corruption scandal, while the real culprits escaped prosecution."
"The police suspected the arrested man was just a patsy, used to take the blame for a bigger crime."
Idioms & expressions
take the fall
To be blamed or punished for something, often when one is not entirely responsible.
"He took the fall for his team, admitting to a mistake to protect their reputation."
fall guy
A person who is unfairly blamed or punished for something.
"The fall guy was an easy target because he didn't have the resources to fight the accusations."
From the late 19th century, possibly as a shortening of the name 'Patrick', or from 'patter', meaning to deceive, perhaps influenced by Italian 'pazzo' meaning 'fool'.
The word began to appear with its current meaning in the early 20th century, often associated with criminal activity and political conspiracies.
Memory tip
Think of a "cat" (pat) being easily pushed around (sy).