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decoy

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Definition of decoy

noun

Pronunciation: /ˈdiːkɔɪ, dɪˈkɔɪ/

1a bird or mammal, or an imitation of one, used by hunters to attract other birds or mammals: [as modifier]:a decoy duck
a person or thing used to mislead or lure someone into a trap: we need a decoy to distract their attention

2a pond from which narrow netted channels lead, into which wild duck may be enticed for capture.

verb

Pronunciation: /dɪˈkɔɪ, ˈdiːkɔɪ/

[with object and adverbial of direction]

lure or entice (a person or animal) away from their intended course, typically into a trap:they would try to decoy the enemy towards the hidden group

Origin:

mid 16th century (earlier as coy): from Dutch de kooi 'the decoy', from Middle Dutch de kouw 'the cage', from Latin cavea 'cage'. decoy (sense 2 of the noun) is from the practice of using tamed ducks to lead wild ones along channels into captivity

decoy in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of decoy in the US English dictionary

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