noun · verb · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/stuːd͡ʒ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -uːd͡ʒ
CMU ARPABET:S T UW1 JH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
One who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit; a dupe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
A magician's assistant who pretends to be a member of the audience.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: magic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A straight man.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: comedy, entertainment, lifestyle
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A secret informant for police.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A confederate; a person who is secretly working for the researcher, unknown to the study participant.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: confederate
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To act as a straight man.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
a victim of ridicule or pranks
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: butt, goat, laughingstock
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: victim, dupe
Narrower terms: April fool
8
noun
Meaning 8
a person of unquestioning obedience
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: flunky, flunkey, yes-man
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: follower
Narrower terms: pushover
9
verb
Meaning 9
act as a stooge, in a compliant or subordinate manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
He stooged for the flamboyant Senator
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: act, behave, do
10
verb
Meaning 10
act as the stooge
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
His role was to stooge for the popular comedian
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: act, play, roleplay, playact
11
verb
Meaning 11
cruise in slow or routine flights
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cruise
History
Etymology
Perhaps an abbreviation of Russian студе́нт (studént) [stʊˈdjent]; the original meaning was “stage assistant, actor who assists a comedian”. It may have been a Yiddish vaudeville term.
Across languages
Translations
68 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
марионетка
(marionetka)
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Chinese Mandarin:
傀儡
(kuǐlěi)
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Czech:
loutka
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Czech:
panák
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Czech:
poskok
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Finnish:
lammas
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
French:
dupe
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
French:
pion
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
French:
pigeon
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
French:
larbin
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
French:
laquais
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
German:
Marionette
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
German:
Handlanger
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
German:
Handlangerin
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
German:
Strohmann
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
German:
Strohfrau
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
German:
Jasager
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
German:
Hiwi
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Hungarian:
stróman
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Hungarian:
bérenc
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Hungarian:
báb
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Hungarian:
csicska
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Hungarian:
pribék
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Hungarian:
balek
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Hungarian:
palimadár
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Japanese:
引き立て役
(hikitateyaku)
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Japanese:
手先
(tesaki)
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Japanese:
操り人形
(ayatsuri ningyō)
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Macedonian:
марионе́та
(marionéta)
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Polish:
marionetka
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Polish:
pionek
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Russian:
марионе́тка
(marionétka)
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Russian:
подпева́ла
(podpevála)
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Russian:
лаке́й
(lakéj)
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Slovak:
prisluhovač
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Slovak:
poskok
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Slovak:
primo
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Slovak:
iluso
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Spanish:
marioneta
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Turkish:
âlet olan kimse
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Turkish:
yaltakçı
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Turkish:
yardakçı
— one who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit — see also dupe
Finnish:
avustaja
— magician's assistant
Bulgarian:
доносник
(donosnik)
— secret informant for police
Chinese Mandarin:
密探
(mìtàn)
— secret informant for police
Chinese Mandarin:
線人 /线人
(xiànrén)
— secret informant for police
Czech:
udavač
— secret informant for police
Czech:
práskač
— secret informant for police
Finnish:
vasikka
— secret informant for police
German:
Spitzel
— secret informant for police
German:
Polizeispitzel
— secret informant for police
Hungarian:
besúgó
— secret informant for police
Hungarian:
spicli
— secret informant for police
Hungarian:
tégla
— secret informant for police
Hungarian:
beépített ember
— secret informant for police
Macedonian:
потка́жувач
(potkážuvač)
— secret informant for police
Russian:
осведоми́тель
(osvedomítelʹ)
— secret informant for police
Russian:
осведоми́тельница
(osvedomítelʹnica)
— secret informant for police
Russian:
стука́ч
(stukáč)
— secret informant for police
Russian:
доносчик
(donosčik)
— secret informant for police
