decoy-duck
English
Noun
decoy-duck (plural decoy-ducks)
- A duck used to lure wild ducks into a decoy.
- (by extension, figurative) One employed to lure others into danger.
- 1626 February 1 (licensing date), John Fletcher [et al.], “The Faire Maide of the Inne”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act IV, scene ii:
- if you give any credit to this jugling rascal, you are worse than simple widgins, and will be drawn into the net by this decoy-duck, this tame cheater.