decoy English · revision 2464

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈdiːkɔɪ/, /dɪˈkɔɪ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably [[bor|nl|de kooi|t=the cage]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline) [[der|dum|côie]],^(AHD)^(RHWU) [[der|la|cavea|t=cage, enclosure]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) English first had ''coy'' (1621) for a place to trap ducks, and the Dutch article ''de'' was apparently taken as part of the word.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) A card game called ''decoy'', popular from about 1550 to 1650, may have influenced the form.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A swindler (1618), though the link with the later senses is doubtful.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The hunting sense came in 1625: a pond with netted channels into which wild ducks were lured.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) From this came the trained bird used to entice others (1661), and later the artificial bird used for the same purpose.^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) The word was used figuratively for any enticement or trap (1655) and for a person who lures another (1638).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) In the 20th century it also named objects meant to fool radar.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1618 – a swindler (obsolete).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1625 – a pond for trapping wild ducks.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1638 – a person who lures another into a trap.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1655 – any enticement or trap.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1660 – verb, to lure persons by deceit.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1661 – a bird trained to lure others.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A real or artificial bird or other animal used to lure game.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A pond into which wildfowl are lured for capture.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person or thing used to lead someone into a trap.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Something used to draw attention away from something else.^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To lure or trap by means of a decoy.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[decoyer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cage]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}