duck

[ duhk ]

/ dʌk /

noun, plural ducks, (especially collectively for 1, 2) duck.

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.

the female of this bird, as distinguished from the male. Compare drake¹.

the flesh of this bird, eaten as food.

Informal. person; individual: He's the queer old duck with the knee-length gaiters and walrus mustache.

a playing marble, especially one that is not used as a shooter.

ducks, (used with a singular verb) British Slang. ducky².

Cricket Slang.

failure of a batsman to score: to be out for a duck.
a player's score of zero: to be bowled for a duck.Compare goose egg.

Idioms for duck

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.

Origin of duck

before 1000; Middle English duk, doke, Old English dūce diver, duck; akin to duck²

Words nearby duck

duchess potatoes, duchesse, duchesse bed, duchesse brisée, duchy, duck, duck and drake, duck hawk, duck on a rock, duck out, duck press

Definition for duck (2 of 4)

duck ²

[ duhk ]

/ dʌk /

verb (used without object)

to stoop or bend suddenly; bob.

to avoid or evade a blow, unpleasant task, etc.; dodge.

to plunge the whole body or the head momentarily under water.

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

verb (used with object)

to lower suddenly: Duck your head going through that low doorway.

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

to plunge or dip in water momentarily.

Cards Informal. to play a card lower than (the card led).

noun

an act or instance of ducking.

Origin of duck

1250–1300; Middle English duken, douken; cognate with German tauchen to dive, ducken to duck

SYNONYMS FOR duck

1 bow, dodge.

3 dive, dip, souse.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR duck ON THESAURUS.COM

Definition for duck (3 of 4)

duck ³

[ duhk ]

/ dʌk /

noun

a heavy, plain-weave cotton fabric for tents, clothing, bags, etc., in any of various weights and widths.

ducks, (used with a plural verb) slacks or trousers made of this material.

Origin of duck

1630–40; < Dutch doek cloth; cognate with German Tuch

Definition for duck (4 of 4)

duck ⁴

[ duhk ]

/ dʌk /

noun

DUKW.

Origin of duck

⁴

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; by alteration

Example sentences from the Web for duck

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

Nazis, Sunscreen, and Sea Gull Eggs: Congress in 2014 Was Hella Productive |Ben Jacobs |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Because Duck Dynasty receives monster TV ratings and Robertson paid by a company (A&E) while making these public statements.

Butts, Brawls, and Bill Cosby: The Biggest Celebrity Scandals of 2014  |Kevin Fallon |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
You can hide your extreme views and duck from having to answer questions about them.

Why You Can’t Tell the Truth About Race |Michael Tomasky |November 3, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
So what if people with some spare cash order eggs Benedict made with jamón Ibérico and duck eggs?

Don’t Diss the Beauty of Brunch: Defending Our Favorite Meal |Tim Teeman |October 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

So many people tell me the appeal of Duck Dynasty is that it reflects what life is like in “real America.”

Phil Robertson’s Despicable AIDS Argument Should Be the Last Straw |Kevin Fallon |September 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The Tchernaya abounded with duck, and some of the officers had little decoys of their own.

The British Expedition to the Crimea |William Howard Russell
Don't stop hunting till you find them—they'll duck off in the brush sure.

The Strength of the Pines |Edison Marshall
The game is to guess in which pile is the whale, and the crab, and the duck.

The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, Volume 1 |Hubert Howe Bancroft
In it lay five eggs, the smallest he had ever seen in a Duck's nest.

Reptiles and Birds |Louis Figuier
She did not encourage Joan to preserve a burnished mind, but she took to astrology like a duck to water.

The Romance of His Life |Mary Cholmondeley

British Dictionary definitions for duck (1 of 4)

duck ¹

/ (dʌk) /

noun plural ducks or duck

any of various small aquatic birds of the family Anatidae, typically having short legs, webbed feet, and a broad blunt bill: order Anseriformes

the flesh of this bird, used as food

the female of such a bird, as opposed to the male (drake)

any other bird of the family Anatidae, including geese, and swans

Also: ducks British informal dear or darling: used as a term of endearment or of general address See also ducky

informal a person, esp one regarded as odd or endearing

cricket a score of nothing by a batsman

like water off a duck's back informal without effect

take to something like a duck to water informal to become adept at or attracted to something very quickly

Word Origin for duck

Old English dūce duck, diver; related to duck ²

British Dictionary definitions for duck (2 of 4)

duck ²

/ (dʌk) /

verb

to move (the head or body) quickly downwards or away, esp so as to escape observation or evade a blow

to submerge or plunge suddenly and often briefly under water

(when intr, often foll by out) informal to dodge or escape (a person, duty, etc)

(intr) bridge to play a low card when possessing a higher one rather than try to win a trick

noun

the act or an instance of ducking

Derived forms of duck

ducker, noun

Word Origin for duck

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

British Dictionary definitions for duck (3 of 4)

duck ³

/ (dʌk) /

noun

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

Word Origin for duck

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

British Dictionary definitions for duck (4 of 4)

duck ⁴

/ (dʌk) /

noun

an amphibious vehicle used in World War II

Word Origin for duck

C20: from code name DUKW

Idioms and Phrases with duck

duck

In addition to the idioms beginning with duck

duck out
duck soup

also see:

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

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Learning

duck