duck

duck
duck1
noun (plural same or ducks)
1》 a waterbird with a broad, blunt bill, short legs, and webbed feet, some kinds of which are domesticated. [Family Anatidae: many species.]
    ↘a female duck. Contrasted with drake.
2》 a pure white thin-shelled bivalve mollusc found off the Atlantic coasts of America. [Genus Anatina.]
Phrases
get (or have) one's ducks in a row N. Amer. informal get (or have) everything organized.
like water off a duck's back referring to a hurtful remark which has no effect.
take to something like a duck to water take to something very readily.
Origin
OE duce, from the Gmc base of duck2 (expressing the notion of 'diving bird').
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duck2
verb
1》 lower the head or body quickly to avoid a blow or missile or so as not to be seen.
2》 informal evade (an unwelcome duty).
3》 push (someone) under water.
4》 Bridge refrain from playing a winning card on a particular trick for tactical reasons.
noun a quick lowering of the head.
Phrases
duck and dive Brit. use one's ingenuity to deal with or evade a situation.
Derivatives
ducker noun
Origin
ME: of Gmc origin; related to duck1.
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duck3
noun Cricket a batsman's score of nought.
Phrases
break one's duck Cricket score the first run of one's innings.
Origin
C19: short for duck's egg, used for the figure 0.
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duck4
(also ducks)
noun Brit. informal dear (used as an affectionate form of address).
Origin
C16: from duck1.
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duck5
noun a strong linen or cotton fabric, used chiefly for work clothes and sails.
↘(ducks) trousers made from duck.
Origin
C17: from MDu. doek 'linen'.

English new terms dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
, , , / , , , / , , (downward)


Look at other dictionaries:

  • DUCK — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Duck peut faire référence à : « canard » en anglais ; « se pencher » en anglais, comme dans le titre du film Duck and Cover …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Duck — Duck, n. [OE. duke, doke. See {Duck}, v. t. ] 1. (Zool.) Any bird of the subfamily {Anatin[ae]}, family {Anatid[ae]}. [1913 Webster] Note: The genera and species are numerous. They are divided into {river ducks} and {sea ducks}. Among the former… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • duck — Ⅰ. duck [1] ► NOUN (pl. same or ducks) 1) a waterbird with a broad blunt bill, short legs, webbed feet, and a waddling gait. 2) the female of such a bird. Contrasted with DRAKE(Cf. ↑drake). 3) (also ducks) Brit. informal …   English terms dictionary

  • duck — duck; duck·er; duck·let; duck·ling; geo·duck; mal·duck; shel·duck; shell·duck; duck·ing; goo·ey·duck; …   English syllables

  • Duck — Duck, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ducked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Ducking}.] [OE. duken, douken, to dive; akin to D. duiken, OHG. t?hhan, MHG. tucken, t[ u]cken, t?chen, G. tuchen. Cf. 5th {Duck}.] 1. To thrust or plunge under water or other liquid and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • duck — duck1 [duk] n. [ME doke < OE duce, lit., diver, ducker < base of * ducan, to plunge, dive (see DUCK2); replaces OE ened (akin to Ger ente), common Gmc word for the bird ] 1. pl. ducks or duck any of a large number of relatively small… …   English World dictionary

  • duck|y — «DUHK ee», adjective, duck|i|er, duck|i|est, noun, plural duck|ies. Informal. –adj. 1. darling; charmi …   Useful english dictionary

  • Dück — ist der Name folgender Personen: Alexander Dück (* 1980), deutscher Eishockeyspieler Anton von Dück (1801–1866), österreichischer Kaufmann und Politiker Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • duck — dək n, pl ducks or duck any of various swimming birds (family Anatidae, the duck family) in which the neck and legs are short, the feet typically webbed, the bill often broad and flat, and the sexes usu. different from each other in plumage …   Medical dictionary

  • Duck — (d[u^]k), v. i. 1. To go under the surface of water and immediately reappear; to dive; to plunge the head in water or other liquid; to dip. [1913 Webster] In Tiber ducking thrice by break of day. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. To drop the head or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Duck — (d[u^]k), n. [Cf. Dan. dukke, Sw. docka, OHG. doccha, G. docke. Cf. {Doxy}.] A pet; a darling. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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