Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A crude figure or dummy representing a hated person or group.
- n. A likeness or image, especially of a person.
- idiom. in effigy Symbolically, especially in the form of an effigy: The deposed dictator was burned in effigy by the crowd.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A representation or imitation of any object, in whole or in part; an image or a representation of a person, whether of the whole figure, the bust, or the head alone; a likeness in sculpture, painting, or drawing; a portrait: most frequently applied to the figures on sepulchral monuments, and popularly to figures made up of stuffed clothing, etc., to represent obnoxious persons.
Wiktionary
- n. a dummy or other crude representation of a person, group or object that is hated.
- n. a likeness of a person.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. The image, likeness, or representation of a person, whether a full figure, or a part; an imitative figure; -- commonly applied to sculptured likenesses, as those on monuments, or to those of the heads of princes on coins and medals, sometimes applied to portraits.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture)
Etymologies
- French effigie, from Latin effigiēs, likeness, from effingere, to portray : ex-, ex- + fingere, to shape; see dheigh- in Indo-European roots.
Examples
“Burning someone in effigy is a symbolic violent act.”
Tea Party organizer vows to burn Pelosi and Perriello in effigy
“November 14th, 2009 12: 59 pm ET burning someone in effigy is unamerican.”
Tea Party organizer vows to burn Pelosi and Perriello in effigy
“His plans to burn people in effigy is appalling and promotes violence in our society.”
Tea Party organizer vows to burn Pelosi and Perriello in effigy
“I was hung in effigy by all the Chapala women who were afraid that they too might have to ante up a few bucks more!”
How long has MexConnect been around . . . what is the history of Mexconnect? Who started Mexconnect?
“I've been guilty of hanging PETA in effigy many times here on this site alone.”
“The piece decried the practice of hanging politicians in effigy and shouting them into silence.”
“Rather than parades, it would be better to celebrate this holiday like the British used to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day – by burning politicians in effigy, or a reasonable facsimile.”
“He should be burned in effigy during an internationally televised broadcast.”
Matthew Yglesias » Political Instability Rises Along With Joblessness
“I haven't written short stories since high school — every one of them burned in effigy after graduation along with every text book and written work during those tentative years.”
“In Virginia and parts of Maryland close by that were sympathetic, Mercer was burned in effigy as soon as the ship bearing him and the hated stamps anchored offshore.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘effigy’.
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
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The Pain of Texting
Words that are a pain in the ass to type in on a numerical keypad on a cell phone because they have consecutive letters that share the same button:
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4 - GHI...defcon, hi, no, attitude, xylophone, on, monday, monkey, mono, dig, back, babble and 212 more...

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