decoys
Wooden pond imitations
Decoys are objects designed to lure or mislead.
Hunters use decoys—carved wooden ducks, for instance—to attract real birds within shooting range.
Military decoys draw enemy fire away from actual targets.
The meaning extends to any person or thing used as bait: Police sent a decoy to catch the mugger.
To decoy is to lure by deception.
Intentional focus manipulation
- red herringIntentional misleading distraction
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- ruseDeliberate act of deception
diversion · feint · distraction · deflection · bait-and-switch · bluff · subterfuge · trickery
Thing that tempts
- baitLure for prey
- enticementSomething that attracts
- temptationUrge toward the unwise
- attractionPull toward something
draw · trap · snare · inducement · come-on · honeypot · stool pigeon · plant
Adjustable slatted window coverings
- waterfowlSwimming birds collectively
- ducksWaterfowl or evades
- geesePlural of goose
- gamebirdsBirds hunted for sport
hunters · marshland · retriever · fowling · wildfowl · calls · shotgun · season
Lifelike substitute figure
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
- inflatableExpandable by air
- mock-upPreliminary representational model
- radarRadio-wave object detection
chaff · flares · camouflage · concealment · diversionary · reconnaissance · missile defense · spoofing
Faithful scaled reproduction
- facsimileExact reproduction of original
- copyIdentical reproduction made
- reproductionCopying or procreation
- duplicateExact replica of original
lookalike · substitute · simulacrum · fake · model · likeness · carving · painted
misdirection
Intentional focus manipulation
- red herringIntentional misleading distraction
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
ruse · diversion · feint · distraction · deflection · bait-and-switch · bluff · subterfuge · trickery · dummy
lure
Thing that tempts
- baitLure for prey
- enticementSomething that attracts
- temptationUrge toward the unwise
attraction · draw · trap · snare · inducement · come-on · honeypot · stool pigeon · plant · setup
blinds
Adjustable slatted window coverings
gamebirds · hunters · marshland · retriever · fowling · wildfowl · calls · shotgun · season · migration
dummy
Lifelike substitute figure
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
- inflatableExpandable by air
- mock-upPreliminary representational model
radar · chaff · flares · camouflage · concealment · diversionary · reconnaissance · missile defense · spoofing · jamming
replica
Faithful scaled reproduction
- facsimileExact reproduction of original
- copyIdentical reproduction made
- reproductionCopying or procreation
duplicate · lookalike · substitute · simulacrum · fake · model · likeness · carving · painted · realistic
- bird huntingduck hunting, goose hunting, pheasant hunting, quail hunting, shotguns
- Colonial Antiquespewter, spinning wheels, butter churns, candle molds, Windsor chairs
- hunting gearrifle, shotgun, hunting vest, hunting boots, crossbow
- countermeasurescountermeasures, chaff, flares, jammers, jamming
- electronic warfarejamming, radar jamming, signal jamming, chaff, flares
- military avionicsavionics, radar systems, electronic warfare, navigation systems, flight controls
decoysthe real thing
Authentic original version
originals · real McCoy · prototypes · genuine article · genuine articles
decoysrepellents
Substances that drive away
deterrents · scarecrows · repels · repulses · dissuades
- duck decoyFake bird lure
- decoy duckArtificial bird lure
- wooden decoyCarved imitation for hunting
- owl decoyFake bird for scaring pests
- decoy effectOption that steers choices
- goose decoysArtificial geese for hunting