dunce cap

Thân thiện

A teacher places a dunce cap on a student's head.

Definition

Noun: * A conical hat, traditionally made of paper, that was historically placed on the head of a student as a symbol of punishment or ridicule for being slow to learn, lazy, or making mistakes.

Usage

The term is used to refer to the specific object of punishment. It is almost always used in a historical or metaphorical context, as the practice is now widely considered outdated and humiliating.

Examples

• In old school stories, the misbehaving child was often made to wear a dunce cap in the corner.
• The teacher's threat of the dunce cap was meant to motivate the lazy pupils.
• He felt like he was wearing an invisible dunce cap after making such a basic error in the meeting.

Advanced Usage

• Metaphorical Use: The phrase "wear the dunce cap" is used figuratively to mean being singled out for a foolish mistake or being in a position of shame.
  • After the project's failure, the manager had to wear the dunce cap at the board meeting.

Variants and Related Words

• Dunce's cap: An alternative, equally common spelling.
• Dunce: (Noun) A person who is slow at learning; a dullard. This is the term from which "dunce cap" is derived.
• Fool's cap: A similar conical hat, often associated with court jesters or fools in medieval times, sometimes used interchangeably in a historical sense.

Synonyms

• Fool's cap
• Cone of shame (modern, informal, and often used for pets)

Idioms and Phrases

• To be made to wear the dunce cap: To be publicly punished or shamed for poor performance or ignorance.
  • The intern was made to wear the dunce cap for sending the email to the wrong client.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a cone-shaped paper hat formerly placed on the head of slow or lazy pupils

Từ đồng nghĩa

• dunce's cap
• fool's cap