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Dictionary:

doll

  (dŏl) pronunciation
n.
  1. A child's usually small toy having the likeness of a human.
  2. A pretty child.
  3. Slang.
    1. An attractive person.
    2. A woman.
    3. A sweetheart or darling.
    4. A helpful or obliging person.
phrasal verb:

doll up Slang.

  1. To dress oneself smartly and often ostentatiously, especially for a special occasion.
  2. To add embellishing details to in order to make much more attractive.

[From Doll, nickname for Dorothy.]


 
 
Thesaurus: doll
also doll up

noun

    A person regarded as physically attractive: beauty, belle (used of a woman), lovely, stunner. Slang babe, hunk (used of a man), knockout, looker, stud (used of a man). See beautiful/ugly.

phrasal verb - doll up

    To dress in formal or special clothing: array, attire, deck2 (out), dress up, prank2. Informal trick out (or up). See order/disorder, plain/fancy, put on/take off.

 
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: doll

Painted wooden Egyptian doll, 2000 .
(click to enlarge)
Painted wooden Egyptian doll, 2000 . (credit: Courtesy of the trustees of the British Museum)
Small-scale figure of a human being or animal, used especially as a child's plaything. The doll is perhaps humankind's oldest toy. Some ancient dolls may have served religious or magical functions — as do voodoo (see vodun) dolls in modern times. Dolls were buried in children's graves in Egypt, Greece, and Rome and in early Christian catacombs. In Europe dolls have been commercially manufactured since about the 16th century. Doll heads were made of wood, terra-cotta, alabaster, and wax, while the bodies were made of carved wood or leather stuffed with sawdust. In about 1820 glazed porcelain (Dresden) doll heads and unglazed bisque (ceramic) heads became popular. These were supplanted in the 20th century by molded plastic. In Japan, dolls are used as traditional festival figures. In India, elaborately dressed dolls were given to child brides by both Hindus and Muslims. Today both antique and modern dolls are often collected.

For more information on doll, visit Britannica.com.

 
Columbia Encyclopedia: doll,
small figure of a human being, usually used as a child's toy. The many types of dolls found among the relics of primitive peoples were cult objects. Egypt, Greece, and Rome have left well-preserved dolls of wood, clay, bone, ivory, and bronze that were used symbolically and probably also as childrens' playthings. Puppets with movable arms and legs were known in ancient Greece. Crèche dolls, some of them artistic masterpieces, were used in Roman Catholic lands in representations of the Nativity. From the 15th cent., fashion dolls were popular in Europe as gifts among monarchs and courtiers and were important in the spread of costume styles. Dolls brought to the American colonies exemplified the latest European fashions in dress and coiffure. By the 17th cent., play dolls were commonly used by both boys and girls. Sonneberg, Germany, was noted from the 17th cent. as a center for wooden dolls, and by the 19th cent. the town led also in the making of dolls' china heads. The doll industry in Paris developed dolls that could speak and close their eyes and specialized in high-fashion dolls. The use of papier-mâché early in the 19th cent. stimulated large-scale manufacture. Wood, china, and wax were also used at this time; hard rubber was introduced c.1850, and bisque c.1862. The colonial cornhusk man and the rag doll began as domestic products, but have developed into commercial popular products. Cutout paper dolls are probably derived form the animated cardboard pantins fashionable among French courtiers in the 18th cent. During the 20th cent. doll manufacturing in the United States developed into a huge industry. Dolls have served various functions throughout Asia and Africa. In Japan they are used mainly as ceremonial figures, and in India they are given to child brides. African girls are often given dolls upon reaching sexual maturity; they eventually give these dolls to their firstborn children.

Bibliography

See studies by R. S. Freeman (1972), C. Goodfellow (1986), M. Longenecker (1987), and M. O. Merrill (1985).

 
Movies:

Dolls

Dolls
Buy Now

DVD Release

  • Release Date: 2005
  • cc
  • Audio commentary by director Stuart Gordon and writer Ed Naha
  • Audio commentary by Carolyn Purdy-Gordon and other cast members
  • Storyboard-to-film comparison
  • Photo gallery
  • Original theatrical trailer

  • Rating: StarStar
  • Genre: Horror
  • Movie Type: Supernatural Horror
  • Themes: Toys Come to Life
  • Director: Stuart Gordon
  • Main Cast: Ian Williams, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Carrie Lorraine, Guy Rolfe, Hilary Mason
  • Release Year: 1987
  • Country: US
  • Run Time: 77 minutes
  • MPAA Rating: R

Plot

Young Judy Bower (Carrie Lorraine) is spending the summer with her stupid, abusive father, David (Ian Williams), and nasty stepmother, Rosemary (Carolyn Purdy-Gordon). On a dark and stormy night, their car breaks down on a lonely road in the woods and they are forced to seek shelter. As they walk, Rosemary throws Judy's beloved teddy bear into the woods, and the imaginative child envisions it coming to life as a great fanged beast which slaughters her tormentors. The idea of loyal toys protecting their young owners from the ravages of the adult world is forcefully made, and imbues the rest of the film. They come upon a creepy old house owned by elderly Gabriel Hartwick (Guy Rolfe) and his wife, Hilary (Hilary Mason). Gabriel is a doll-maker and dazzles Judy with his collection of exquisitely detailed creations. Another car breaks down in the storm as well, bearing amiable Ralph Morris and two trampy hitchhikers. What they and the Bowers don't know is that the dolls are alive, and protect the young (Judy) and the young at heart (Ralph) from the evils of adulthood. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Review

There's a line in The Breakfast Club that goes, "When you grow up, your heart dies." Director Stuart Gordon and screenwriter Ed Naha (who also collaborated on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) seem to believe it, too, because they spare no effort to present the adults in the film as spiteful, venal beasts whose only goal seems to be crushing everything that is decent and good. The dolls are expertly rendered by John Brunner, Vivian Brunner, and Giancarlo del Brocco, with careful attention to detail and individual personalities. This is a serious-minded, lovingly crafted modern fairy tale that only misses classic status by a few clumsy, low-budget moments. Otherwise, Dolls a scary, oddly touching film that brings to mind, in its best moments, both Bruno Bettleheim's viciously satisfying riffs on Brothers Grimm and Michael Reeves' wonderful The Sorcerers. If viewers can ignore the typical Empire Pictures hallmarks like visible boom-mikes and windows that shatter a full second before a person goes through them, they are likely to enjoy this creepy, pleasantly old-fashioned fairy tale. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Cast

  • Ian Williams - David Bower
  • Carolyn Purdy-Gordon - Rosemary Bower
  • Carrie Lorraine - Judy Bower
  • Guy Rolfe - Gabriel Hartwicke
  • Hilary Mason - Hilary Hartwicke

Bunty Bailey - Isabel; Cassie Stuart - Enid Tilley; Stephen Lee - Ralph Morris

Credit

Mac Ahlberg - Cinematographer; David Allen - Special Effects; Charles Band - Executive Producer; Charles Band - Producer; Richard H. Band - Composer (Music Score); Richard H. Band - Musical Direction/Supervision; Angee Beckett - Costume Designer; Roberto Bessi - Executive in Charge of Production; Becky Block - Set Designer; Vivian Brunner - Special Effects; John Carl Buechler - Special Effects; Giancarlo del Brocco - Makeup Special Effects; Aldo dell'Acqua - Stunts; Debra Dion - Associate Producer; Stuart Gordon - Director; Mechanical & Makup Imageries - Makeup Special Effects; Fuzzbee Morse - Composer (Music Score); Ed Naha - Screenwriter; Giovanni Natalucci - Art Director; Giovanni Natalucci - Production Designer; Lee Percy - Editor; Brian Yuzna - Producer

Similar Movies

Bad Channels; Child's Play; Demonic Toys; Dollman vs. Demonic Toys; Dolly Dearest; From Beyond; The Puppet Master; Re-Animator; Trilogy of Terror; Attack of the Puppet People; Castle Freak; Pinocchio's Revenge; Blood Dolls; Marronnier; Devil Doll; Retro Puppet Master; Dead Silence
 
Word Tutor: doll
pronunciation

IN BRIEF: n. - A small replica of a person; Informal terms for a (young) woman.

pronunciation Did you have a doll when you were young?

Tutor's tip: He felt "dull" (not clear; stupid) and surprisingly "dol" (a measure of the degree of pain) about being on the "dole" (unemployment compensation), and thus not having enough money to buy the "doll" (a toy figure resembling a person) for his daughter.

 
Wikipedia: doll


A doll is a child's toy that represents a baby or other human being, but includes likenesses of animals and imaginary creatures. Dolls have been around since the dawn of human civilization, and have been fashioned from a vast array of materials, ranging from stone, clay, wood, bone, cloth and paper, to porcelain, china, rubber and plastic.

A porcelain doll from the Czech Republic
Enlarge
A porcelain doll from the Czech Republic

While dolls have traditionally been toys for children, they are also collected by adults, for their nostalgic value, beauty, historical importance or financial value. In ancient times, dolls were used as representations of a deity, and played a central role in religious ceremonies and rituals. Lifelike or anatomically correct dolls are used by health professionals, medical schools and social workers to train doctors and nurses in various health procedures or investigate cases of sexual abuse of children. Artists sometimes use jointed wooden mannequins in drawing the human figure. Action figures representing superheroes and their predecessors, action dolls[1], are particularly popular among boys. Baby dolls, paper dolls, talking dolls, fashion dolls - the list is almost endless.

History

Das Ankleiden der Puppe (English: Dressing the Doll), 1844
Enlarge
Das Ankleiden der Puppe (English: Dressing the Doll), 1844
A museum display of Roman toys, including a doll
Enlarge
A museum display of Roman toys, including a doll
Russian Doll in traditional costume ("Russisches Mosaik")
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Russian Doll in traditional costume ("Russisches Mosaik")
Japanese and Polish costumed dolls
Enlarge
Japanese and Polish costumed dolls

Archaeological evidence places dolls as foremost candidate for oldest known toy, having been found in Egyptian tombs which date to as early as 2000 BC. In Egypt, as well as Greece and Rome, it was common to find them in the graves of children. Most were made of wood, although pottery dolls were buried with children from wealthier families. Dolls with movable limbs and removable clothing date back to 600 BCE. Europe later became the center of dollmaking. In the United States, dollmaking became an industry in the 1860s, after the Civil War. [2]

Materials

Dolls over the ages have been made from every conceivable material: bisque, celluloid, china, clay, cloth, corn husks paper, plastic, polymer clay, porcelain, resin, rubber, vinyl, wax wood, bone, ivory, papier-mâché, leather and more.

Famous types of dolls

Doll hospitals

Repair and restoration of antique and other dolls is carried out at doll hospitals, many of which have been operating for decades.[3][4]

Festivals and Exhibits

Doll Museums and Collections

See also

References

  1. ^ New York Times article
  2. ^ http://ctdollartists.com/history.htm
  3. ^ http://www.timelessdollhospital.com/
  4. ^ http://www.reallygreattoys.com/dollhospital/

History of paper dolls - http://www.opdag.com/History.html

External links

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This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
Translations: Translations for: Doll

Dansk (Danish)
n. - dukke, godte, steg, sild, bugtalerdukke

idioms:

  • doll oneself up    klæde sig smart på, maje sig ud
  • doll's house    dukkehus, meget lille hus

Nederlands (Dutch)
pop, griet, schat, mooie (maar domme) vrouw

Français (French)
n. - poupée, pépée, ravissante idiote

idioms:

  • doll up    bichonner, se bichonner, se faire tout beau/toute belle
  • doll's house    maison de poupée

Deutsch (German)
n. - Puppe, Biene

idioms:

  • doll up    aufputzen
  • doll's house    Puppenhaus

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (παιδική) κούκλα
v. - καλλωπίζω

idioms:

  • doll oneself up    καλοντύνομαι, φορώ τα καλά μου, σενιάρομαι
  • doll's house    κουκλόσπιτο

Italiano (Italian)
bambola

idioms:

  • doll oneself up    agghindarsi
  • doll's house    casa di bambola

Português (Portuguese)
n. - boneca (f)
v. - embonecar(-se)

idioms:

  • doll oneself up    enfeitar-se
  • doll's house    casa (f) de bonecas

Русский (Russian)
кукла, куколка

idioms:

  • doll oneself up    разодеться
  • doll's house    кукольный дом

Español (Spanish)
n. - chavala, nena, muñequita, jovencita

idioms:

  • doll up    vestirse de manera ostentosa para una ocasión
  • doll's house    casa de muñecas

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - docka
v. - klä sig

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
玩偶, 洋娃娃, 甜姐儿, 愚蠢的美女, 逗人爱的孩子, 小宝贝

idioms:

  • doll oneself up    打扮得花枝招展
  • doll's house    小家家

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 玩偶, 洋娃娃, 甜姐兒, 愚蠢的美女, 逗人愛的孩子, 小寶貝

idioms:

  • doll oneself up    打扮得花枝招展
  • doll's house    小家家

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 인형, 상냥한 사람

idioms:

  • doll oneself up    예쁘게 차려 입다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 人形

idioms:

  • doll oneself up    着飾る

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) دميه على شكل انسان, أنثى جميله وجذابه (فعل) يلبس بطريقه جذابه وأنيقه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮בובה‬

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American Sign Language
commtechlab.msu.edu
 
 
 

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Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/  Read more
Movies. Copyright © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Movie Guide ® , a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; free trial.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Doll".  Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more

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