A Mallard duck in flight.
- The definition of a duck is a swimming bird with a flat bill, short legs and webbed feet.
An example of a duck are the Disney characters Donald and Daffy.
- To duck is defined as to lower the head or body quickly as if to avoid a blow.
An example of to duck is a boxer dodging their opponent's punch.
- pl. ducks or any of a large number of relatively small waterfowl with a flat bill, short neck and legs, and webbed feet
- a female duck
- the flesh of a duck as food
- Chiefly Brit., Informal a darling; dear
- ⌂ Slang a person, esp. one qualified as being “odd,” “harmless,” “funny,” etc.
Origin of duckMiddle English doke ; from Old English duce, literally , diver, ducker ; from base of an unverified form ducan, to plunge, dive (see duck); replaces Old English ened (akin to German ente), common Germanic word for the bird
have (or get) one's ducks in a row⌂
Origin of duckprob. in allusion to a mother duck leading a line of her ducklings
like water off a duck's back
- to plunge or dip under water for a moment
- to lower, turn, or bend (the head, body, etc.) suddenly, as in avoiding a blow or in hiding
- ⌂ Informal to avoid or evade: the candidate ducked the issue
- Slang to move (in or out) quickly
Origin of duckMiddle English douken ; from Old English an unverified form ducan, to plunge, dive, akin to Old High German t?han (Ger tauchen), Middle Low German d?ken, Dutch duiken, to dive
- a cotton or linen cloth somewhat like canvas but finer and lighter in weight
- clothes, esp. white trousers, made of this cloth
Origin of duckDutch doek, akin to German tuch, cloth
Origin of duckaltered (infl. by duck) ; from DUKW, military code name
- Any of various wild or domesticated waterbirds of the family Anatidae, characteristically having a broad flat bill, short legs, and webbed feet.
- A female duck.
- The flesh of a duck used as food.
- Slang A person, especially one thought of as peculiar.
- often ducks (used with a sing. verb) Chiefly British A dear.
Origin of duckMiddle English doke, from Old English d&umacron;ce, possibly from *d&umacron;can, to dive; see duck2.
verbducked, duck·ing, ducks
- To lower quickly, especially so as to avoid something: ducked his head as the ball came toward him.
- To evade; dodge: duck responsibility; ducked the reporter's question.
- To push (a person, for example) suddenly under water.
- In bridge, to deliberately play a card that is lower than (an opponent's card).
- To lower the head or body.
- To move swiftly, especially so as to escape being seen: ducked behind a bush.
- To submerge the head or body briefly in water.
- To evade a responsibility or obligation. Often used with out: duck out on one's family.
- In bridge, to lose a trick by deliberately playing lower than one's opponent.
- A quick lowering of the head or body.
- A plunge under water.
Origin of duckMiddle English douken, to dive, possibly from Old English *d&umacron;can; akin to Middle Low German and Middle Dutch d&umacron;ken.
- A durable, closely woven heavy cotton or linen fabric.
- ducks Clothing made of duck, especially white trousers.
Origin of duckDutch doek, cloth, from Middle Dutch doec.
- An amphibious military truck used during World War II.
- An amphibious truck used in emergencies, as to evacuate flood victims. In both senses also called DUKW.
Origin of duckAlteration (influenced by duck1) of DUKW.
- A surname.