dead duck
noun
a person or thing that is beyond help, redemption, or hope: One more missed opportunity and this whole enterprise is a dead duck.
Origin of dead duck
An Americanism dating back to 1820–30; orig., in political slang, a person who has lost influence or power and is therefore useless; perhaps from the proverb “never waste powder on a dead duck”
Words nearby dead duck
dead center,
dead centre,
dead data,
dead drop,
dead drunk,
dead duck,
dead end,
dead fingers,
dead firing,
dead freight,
dead from the neck up
Example sentences from the Web for dead duck
Then, when the second one showed up and dove in, he'd gone into a dead-duck spin.
The Best Made Plans |Everett B. Cole
British Dictionary definitions for dead duck
dead duck
noun
slang
a person or thing doomed to death, failure, etc, esp because of a mistake or misjudgment
Idioms and Phrases with dead duck
dead duck
A person doomed to failure or death; a hopeless case. For example, If they can't find a heart to transplant soon, he's a dead duck. [1940s]
A useless, worthless, or outmoded person or thing. For example, They didn't interview the outgoing senator; to the press he's a dead duck. Some speculate that this slangy term comes from an old saying, “Never waste powder on a dead duck,” first recorded in 1829.