doll
B1Informal to neutral for the noun; informal/slang for the 'attractive person' sense; formal in historical/cultural contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A small model of a human figure, typically used as a child's toy.
Can refer to an attractive person, especially a woman (often informal/slang). Also used as a verb meaning to dress someone or oneself smartly and attractively.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The 'toy' sense is core and neutral. The 'attractive person' sense is informal, potentially objectifying or dated. The verb usage ('doll up') is informal and idiomatic. In technical contexts, can refer to a model figure in displays or crash tests.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use 'doll' identically for the toy sense. The informal term for an attractive woman ('doll') is somewhat dated in both, but slightly more persistent in older American slang (e.g., "a real doll"). The phrasal verb 'doll up' is common in both.
Connotations
Generally identical. In American historical/cultural contexts, specific dolls like 'Barbie' have stronger associative branding.
Frequency
Similar core frequency. The slang term might be perceived as slightly more 'American' due to its prevalence in mid-20th-century US film and media.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
doll (n.)doll (v.) + up + [object/reflexive]doll (n.) + of + [material/origin]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “doll up”
- “doll's house”
- “like a doll's house”
- “living doll”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
In retail (toy industry), marketing of doll products. 'Doll' as a brand/product category.
Academic
In anthropology, sociology, or cultural studies discussing toys, gender roles, or material culture.
Everyday
Primarily refers to a child's toy. Informally used in phrases like "She's all dolled up for the party."
Technical
In engineering/testing contexts: 'crash test dummy/doll'. In film/theatre: 'ventriloquist's doll'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She decided to doll herself up for the theatre.
- We spent an hour dolling the float up for the carnival.
American English
- She's going to doll up for the big date.
- They dolled the room up with streamers and lights.
adverb
British English
- N/A (No standard adverbial form).
American English
- N/A (No standard adverbial form).
adjective
British English
- N/A (Doll is not standardly used as an adjective).
- The doll-like features of the porcelain figure were striking.
American English
- N/A (Doll is not standardly used as an adjective).
- She had a doll face, with perfect, small features.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My little sister has a new doll.
- She plays with her doll every day.
- The doll has blue eyes and blonde hair.
- He bought a traditional Russian doll as a souvenir.
- The children built a tiny house for their dolls.
- She keeps her old dolls in a special box.
- The museum had an exhibit of antique Victorian dolls.
- She felt like a doll, dressed up and paraded in front of his colleagues.
- The artist creates hyper-realistic silicone dolls that are almost lifelike.
- The film critiques the 'doll-like' perfection expected of women in that era.
- He argued that the treaty was a Russian doll, with hidden clauses nested within clauses.
- Anthropologists study dolls to understand cultural norms of childhood and beauty.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of DOLL as a small DO-LL (double L) figure that you can hold. A child might say "Doll ends with double-L, just like 'small' and 'tall'—things that describe it."
Conceptual Metaphor
PEOPLE ARE DOLLS (for the informal sense: "She's a doll" implying pleasant, manipulable, attractive). LIFE IS A DOLL'S HOUSE (implying small, orderly, artificial arrangement).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing 'doll' (кукла) with 'dolly' (тележка) in technical contexts.
- The phrase 'doll up' (принарядиться) is idiomatic and not directly related to the toy.
- The informal use for a woman (красотка) can sound dated or potentially sexist; use with caution.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'doll' to refer to any small toy (it's specifically human-like).
- Mispronouncing the vowel sound in American English (should be /ɑː/, not /ɔː/).
- Overusing the slang term for a person, which can sound archaic or objectifying.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a common meaning or use of 'doll'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while traditionally marketed to girls, dolls are universal toys. 'Action figures' are a type of doll often marketed to boys, and dolls are used in therapy, art, and collecting by all genders.
It can be. While sometimes intended as a compliment, it is informal, dated, and can be perceived as patronizing or objectifying, reducing a person to a decorative plaything. It's best avoided in professional or respectful contexts.
A doll is typically a static or posable figure played with directly. A puppet is a figure designed to be animated by a puppeteer, often with strings (marionette) or a hand inside it, primarily for performance.
It is almost exclusively used in the phrasal verb 'doll up' (or 'doll oneself up'), meaning to dress smartly or glamorously. E.g., "They dolled up for the wedding." It is informal.