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Glite Dictionary
for dummies

for dummies

1 4.2
Describes simple instructions for people who are new to a topic
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : para principiantes
  • I bought the book 'Cooking for Dummies' to help me learn the basics of making meals.

He starts like giving me like fishing for dummies, hooks me up, teaches me how to like put a knot, do the whole thing.

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Examples

  • Since we're going to France, I got her French for Dummies, just like pink Eiffel Tower thing and then also this brulee.

  • Need a version of this for dummies.

    Blog text (24)

  • No, Jesus, the Bible for dummies should have brought that.

  • I got like, for dummies, Visual C plus whatever Visual Basic.

    Decoding the Unknown

  • I would suggest you take QA for Dummies, which is a ebook on there.

    Rob Moore

  • All right, So it has some it has some embossed cover and it says Strategy for Dummies or My Boring Life by a Famous CEO, right?

  • The online course is designed as a guide for dummies to understand the fundamentals of web development.

  • Her tutorial on yoga for dummies makes it easy for beginners to follow along and learn the poses.

Synonyms

layman's terms
vsfor dummies
17 3.7

Simple words that people without special training can easily understand

refers to instructional materials aimed at beginners with little experience
layperson's terms
vsfor dummies
3.9

Simple words people who are not experts can understand

refers to instructional materials aimed at beginners with little experience

Antonyms

advanced
379 4.0

At a very high level of skill, knowledge, or development

expert
3 3.5

Very skilled and knowing a lot about a particular area

How Simple

basic
∞ 1.0
for dummies
  • Informal
1 4.2
intermediate
4 3.5
advanced
379 4.0

Surface Forms

for dummies main

Morphology

for + dummy

The components 'for' + 'dummies' transparently signal something aimed at people who are ignorant or inexperienced, so a learner who knows both words can infer a general sense of 'intended for novices'. However, the conventionalized, mildly pejorative but idiomatic commercial use meaning 'beginner-friendly instructional material' and its pragmatic tone require cultural/pragmatic knowledge beyond literal composition, so the relation is only partially predictable.

Etymology

For dummies comes from a popular book series that used the word dummy as a friendly joke for someone who knows very little, and the books showed things in very simple, step-by-step ways. So for dummies now means 'for beginners' or guides that explain things in an easy way.