1 C1 idiomatic slang
(Informal, chiefly American) To refuse to speak or give information, especially when questioned.
"The suspect dummied up as soon as his lawyer arrived and wouldn't say another word."
inseparable
dummy up
C1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To stop talking and refuse to say anything, or to create a dummy or mock-up of something.
In plain English
To go quiet and refuse to speak, or to make a rough model of something.
What does "dummy up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 informal
To create a rough model, layout, or prototype of something.
"The designers dummied up a version of the new magazine layout for the editorial meeting."
separable
Usage tip
The 'go silent' sense is primarily older American slang, often associated with underworld or crime fiction from the mid-20th century. The 'create a mock-up' sense appears in design and publishing contexts. Neither sense is common in contemporary standard English.
Words that pair with "dummy up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
questions police prototype model layout witnesses
How to conjugate "dummy up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
dummy up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
dummies up
he/she/it
Past simple
dummied up
yesterday
Past participle
dummied up
have + pp
-ing form
dummying up
continuous
Hear "dummy up" in the wild
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