der Prügelknabe
Translation
whipping boy, scapegoat
Examples
Er war immer der Prügelknabe für die Fehler anderer.
He was always the whipping boy for others' mistakes.
Man machte ihn zum Prügelknaben für die Niederlage.
They made him the scapegoat for the defeat.
Grammar Patterns
the whipping boy ((for sth.)) the whipping boy for sth. He was the whipping boy for the team's failure.
to make ((sb.)) the whipping boy to make sb. the whipping boy They made him the whipping boy for the loss.
Similar Words
der Sündenbock (scapegoat, lit. 'sin goat')
Etymology
From 'Prügel' (beating, thrashing) + 'Knabe' (boy). Literally a 'beating boy', someone who takes the punishment for others.
Memory Tips
Picture a boy ('Knabe') who gets the beating ('Prügel') for someone else's mistake. This is the core image of a 'whipping boy'.