duck

¹

[ duhk ]

noun

, plural ducks, duck.

1. any of numerous wild or domesticated web-footed swimming birds of the family Anatidae, especially of the genus Anas and allied genera, characterized by abroad, flat bill, short legs, and depressed body.
2. the female of this bird, as distinguished from the male. Compare drake ¹.
3. the flesh of this bird, eaten as food.
4. Informal. person; individual:

   He's the queer old duck with the shaved head and walrus mustache.

5. a playing marble, especially one that is not used as a shooter.
6. ducks, (used with a singular verb) British Slang. ducky ².
7. Cricket Slang.
   1. failure of a batsman to score:

      to be out for a duck.

   2. a player's score of zero: Compare goose egg ( def 1 ).

      to be bowled for a duck.

duck

²

[ duhk ]

verb (used without object)

1. to stoop or bend suddenly; bob.

   Synonyms: dodge, bow

2. to avoid or evade a blow, unpleasant task, etc.; dodge.
3. to plunge the whole body or the head momentarily under water.

   Synonyms: souse, dip, dive

4. Cards Informal. to play a card lower than the card led.

verb (used with object)

1. to lower suddenly:

   Duck your head going through that low doorway.

2. to avoid or evade (a blow, unpleasant task, etc.); dodge: to duck an embarrassing question.

   to duck a hard right;

   to duck an embarrassing question.

3. to plunge or dip in water momentarily.
4. Cards Informal. to play a card lower than (the card led).

noun

1. an act or instance of ducking.

duck

³

[ duhk ]

noun

1. a heavy, plain-weave cotton fabric for tents, clothing, bags, etc., in any of various weights and widths.
2. ducks, (used with a plural verb) slacks or trousers made of this material.

duck

⁴

[ duhk ]

noun

1. DUKW.

duck

¹

/ dʌk /

noun

1. See ducks
   a heavy cotton fabric of plain weave, used for clothing, tents, etc See also ducks

duck

²

/ dʌk /

verb

1. to move (the head or body) quickly downwards or away, esp so as to escape observation or evade a blow
2. to submerge or plunge suddenly and often briefly under water
3. informal.
   whenintr, often foll by out to dodge or escape (a person, duty, etc)
4. intr bridge to play a low card when possessing a higher one rather than try to win a trick

noun

1. the act or an instance of ducking

duck

³

/ dʌk /

noun

1. any of various small aquatic birds of the family Anatidae, typically having short legs, webbed feet, and a broad blunt bill: order Anseriformes
2. the flesh of this bird, used as food
3. the female of such a bird, as opposed to the male (drake)
4. any other bird of the family Anatidae, including geese, and swans
5. See ducky
   informal.
   Alsoducks dear or darling: used as a term of endearment or of general address See also ducky
6. informal.
   a person, esp one regarded as odd or endearing
7. cricket a score of nothing by a batsman
8. like water off a duck's back informal.
   like water off a duck's back without effect
9. take to something like a duck to water informal.
   take to something like a duck to water to become adept at or attracted to something very quickly

duck

⁴

/ dʌk /

noun

1. an amphibious vehicle used in World War II

Derived Forms

• ˈducker, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of duck¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English duk, doke, Old English dūce “diver, duck”; akin to duck ²

Origin of duck²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English duken, douken; cognate with German tauchen “to dive,” ducken “to duck”

Origin of duck³

First recorded in 1630–40; from Dutch doek “cloth”; cognate with German Tuch

Origin of duck⁴

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; by alteration

Word History and Origins

Origin of duck¹

C17: from Middle Dutch doek; related to Old High German tuoh cloth

Origin of duck²

C14: related to Old High German tūhhan to dive, Middle Dutch dūken

Origin of duck³

Old English dūce duck, diver; related to duck ²

Origin of duck⁴

C20: from code name DUKW

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. water off a duck's back, something that has little or no effect:

   Our criticisms of his talk rolled off him like water off a duck's back.

More idioms and phrases containing duck

• dead duck
• get one's ducks in a row
• lame duck
• like water off a duck's back
• sitting duck
• take to (like a duck to water)
• ugly duckling

Example Sentences

For example, research reported in Science magazine found that in the laboratory, the virus either did not replicate or did not spread easily in dogs, pigs, chickens, or ducks.

From Fortune

The pathway itself is a bit of a strange duck, because not all neurons that form it respond to the initial fear.

From Singularity Hub 

Most eggs in the new study passed through a duck within one hour.

From Science News For Students

The new study shows how water birds, such as ducks, may be part of that spread, she says.

From Science News For Students

Shallow ponds — called potholes — on the prairie serve as nesting sites for half of the ducks in North America.

From Science News For Students

The user fee on duck stamps goes exclusively to funding federal acquisition of wetlands as wildlife habitat.

From The Daily Beast

The Federal Duck Stamp Act raised the fee on stamps needed to hunt waterfowl on federal land from $15 to $25.

From The Daily Beast

Because Duck Dynasty receives monster TV ratings and Robertson paid by a company (A&E) while making these public statements.

From The Daily Beast

One of the most persistent myths in American politics is the media-fueled concept of the lame duck.

From The Daily Beast

A Fish and Wildlife special agent collected the bodies of two birds at the site, a redhead duck and a mourning dove.

From The Daily Beast

It was no wonder that he felt quite at home in the duck-pond, which was made for web-footed folk.

From Project Gutenberg

It is interesting to notice a resemblance between this huge bird and our English wild duck or plover.

From Project Gutenberg

Perhaps it was as well that she allowed such responsibilities to slip past her like water running off the feathers of a duck.

From Project Gutenberg

Then Kip had to duck back into a darkened doorway as Carlson retraced his steps, and got back into his car.

From Project Gutenberg

(I mean the widow lady's whiskered companion)—I saw him eat pease with the very knife with which he had dissected the duck!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bend
• bow
• crouch
• dive
• dodge
• elude
• escape
• evade
• shun
• sidestep