figurehead
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Figurehead — Fig ure*head , n. 1. (Naut.) The figure, statue, or bust, on the prow of a ship. [1913 Webster] 2. A person who allows his name to be used to give standing to enterprises in which he has no responsible interest or duties; a nominal, but not real … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
figurehead — index ineffective, ineffectual, nonentity, powerless, token Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
figurehead — 1765, from FIGURE (Cf. figure) + HEAD (Cf. head). Originally the ornament on the bow of a ship; sense of leader without real authority is first attested 1883 … Etymology dictionary
figurehead — [n] person who is leader in name only cipher, front*, mouthpiece*, nominal head, nonentity, nothing, puppet*, straw boss*, straw person, titular head, token; concepts 354,423 … New thesaurus
figurehead — ► NOUN 1) a carved bust or full length figure set at the prow of an old fashioned sailing ship. 2) a nominal leader without real power … English terms dictionary
figurehead — [fig′yər hed΄] n. 1. a carved figure on the bow of a ship 2. a person put in a position of leadership because of name, rank, etc., but having no real power, authority, or responsibility … English World dictionary
figurehead — /fig yeuhr hed /, n. 1. a person who is head of a group, company, etc., in title but actually has no real authority or responsibility: Most modern kings and queens are figureheads. 2. Naut. a carved full length figure or bust built into the bow… … Universalium
Figurehead — In politics, a figurehead, by metaphor with the carved figurehead at the prow of a sailing ship, is a person who holds an important title or office yet executes little actual power. Common figureheads include constitutional monarchs, such as the… … Wikipedia
figurehead — [[t]fɪ̱gə(r)hed, AM gjə(r) [/t]] figureheads 1) N COUNT If someone is the figurehead of an organization or movement, they are recognized as being its leader, although they have little real power. The President will be little more than a… … English dictionary
figurehead — noun 1) the president was just a figurehead Syn: titular head, nominal leader, leader in name only, front man, cipher, token, mouthpiece, puppet, instrument 2) the figurehead on the ship Syn: carving, bust … Thesaurus of popular words
figurehead — UK [ˈfɪɡə(r)ˌhed] / US [ˈfɪɡjərˌhed] noun [countable] Word forms figurehead : singular figurehead plural figureheads 1) a leader who has no real power or influence, especially a leader of a political party 2) a wooden model of a person fixed to… … English dictionary
