# puppet

Pronunciation: say "PUP-it" /ˈpʌpɪt/

## Noun

1. A small figure of a person or animal that is made to move by strings or rods, or that fits over the hand like a glove.
   - Simple: A small toy person or animal that you move with strings or sticks, or by putting your hand inside it.
   - _The puppeteer made the wooden puppet dance by tilting the bar that held its strings._
   - _Shadow puppets cut from leather were held on rods against a lit screen._
2. A person, country or other party whose actions are controlled by someone else.
   - Simple: A person or country that is controlled by someone else.
   - _The occupying power installed a puppet government that took its orders from abroad._
   - _He refused to become a puppet in the hands of his wealthy backers._
4. In a lathe, the upright support that carries the bearing for the spindle.
   - Simple: The upright part of a lathe that holds up the shaft that turns.
   - _The machinist checked that the puppet stood square to the bed of the lathe._
   - _A crack in the puppet let the spindle bearing shift out of line._

## Verb

3. To control or manipulate someone or something as if working a puppet.
   - Simple: To control someone or something the way you would move a puppet.
   - _Two performers hidden in black puppet the life-size horse across the stage._
   - _Foreign backers puppeted the rebel leaders from behind the scenes._

## Noun

5. A small image in human form; a doll. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A small doll or figure shaped like a person.

## Origin

From Middle English popet, probably from (though recorded earlier than) Middle French poupette, a diminutive of poupée, ultimately from Latin pupa ("doll, puppet; girl"). The noun first appears around 1531 and the verb around 1635; compare puppy.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/puppet (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).