stooge

Meanings

Noun

• One who knowingly allows himself or herself to be used for another's profit; a dupe.
• A straight man.
• A secret informant for police.
• A confederate; a person who is secretly working for the researcher, unknown to the study participant.

Verb

• To act as a straight man.

Origin

• Perhaps an abbreviation of Russian студе́нт ; the original meaning was “stage assistant, actor who assists a comedian”. It may have been a Yiddish vaudeville term.