stooge

Perhaps an abbreviation of Russian студе́нт (studént) [stʊˈdʲent]; the original meaning was “stage assistant, actor who assists a comedian”.^[1] It may have been a Yiddish vaudeville term.

• IPA^(key): /stuːd͡ʒ/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -uːd͡ʒ

stooge (plural stooges)

1. One who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit; a dupe.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:loyal follower

   • 1966, Bruce Brown, director, The Endless Summer:

     I'd like to show you what a wipeout looks like from the board. I'm pretty good at getting wiped out, so I'll be the stooge.

2. (magic) A magician's assistant who pretends to be a member of the audience.
3. (comedy) A straight man.
4. A secret informant for police.
5. (psychology) A confederate; a person who is secretly working for the researcher, unknown to the study participant.

   Synonym: confederate

stooge (third-person singular simple present stooges, present participle stooging, simple past and past participle stooged)

1. (intransitive) To act as a straight man.

• claque

• Otsego, goes to