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 ducks (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.

Definition for ducks (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 ducks (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 ducks

No, she really is; she dives away from cars, outruns planes, ducks away from falling buses.

‘Left Behind’ Review: Nicolas Cage’s Bible Movie Is God-Awful |Matthew Paul Turner |October 3, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Private parts, be they of ducks, damselflies or dung beetles, turn out to have evolved novel forms at breakneck speeds.

Oh, if These Penises and Vaginas Could Talk: Genitalia as Tools, Toys, and Weapons |Menno Schilthuizen |May 1, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Surely the Goldwater debacle had demonstrated a severe shortage of ducks in the anti-desegregation ranks?

David's Bookclub: Strom Thurmond's America |David Frum |April 16, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
So it turns out that Todd Akin was right, but only about ducks, not actual human women.

Yes, We Should Study Duck Penises |Michael Tomasky |March 25, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

As happens with arguments that start in bars, the men hauled their ducks to a farm pond and raced.

My Duck is Faster than Yours |Justin Green |January 27, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
All that great blanket of ducks uncovered the pond with one motion.

Old Plymouth Trails |Winthrop Packard
Cranes, ducks, and geese filled every pond, the voice of spring in their brazen throats.

The Trail of the Goldseekers |Hamlin Garland
Of these six ducks, four were brown pintails (Dafila spinicauda) and two were Chiloe widgeon (Mareca sibilatrix).

Through the Heart of Patagonia |H. Hesketh Prichard
Gun I had not, nor ammunition; but I could have counted grouse by the thousand, ducks by hundreds, and golden plover by tens!

Across Iceland |William Bisiker
On many farms the breeding flock of ducks is fed on the same ration which is given the farm fowls.

Ducks and Geese |Harry M. Lamon

British Dictionary definitions for ducks (1 of 5)

ducks

/ (dʌks) /

pl n

clothing made of duck, esp white trousers for sports

British Dictionary definitions for ducks (2 of 5)

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 ducks (3 of 5)

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 ducks (4 of 5)

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 ducks (5 of 5)

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 ducks

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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duck