duck
1 Americannoun
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ducks,
plural
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duck
plural
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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.
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the female of this bird, as distinguished from the male.
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the flesh of this bird, eaten as food.
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Informal. person; individual.
He's the queer old duck with the shaved head and walrus mustache.
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a playing marble, especially one that is not used as a shooter.
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(used with a singular verb) ducks, ducky.
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Cricket Slang.
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failure of a batsman to score.
to be out for a duck.
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a player's score of zero.
to be bowled for a duck.
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idioms
verb (used without object)
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ducks,
present (3rd person singular)
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ducked,
past participle, past
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ducking
present participle
verb (used with object)
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ducks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
ducked,
past participle, past
-
ducking
present participle
-
to lower suddenly.
Duck your head going through that low doorway.
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to avoid or evade (a blow, unpleasant task, etc.); dodge: to duck an embarrassing question.
to duck a hard right;
to duck an embarrassing question.
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to plunge or dip in water momentarily.
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Cards Informal. to play a card lower than (the card led).
noun
noun
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a heavy, plain-weave cotton fabric for tents, clothing, bags, etc., in any of various weights and widths.
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(used with a plural verb) ducks, slacks or trousers made of this material.
noun
noun
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any of various small aquatic birds of the family Anatidae, typically having short legs, webbed feet, and a broad blunt bill: order Anseriformes
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the flesh of this bird, used as food
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the female of such a bird, as opposed to the male (drake)
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any other bird of the family Anatidae, including geese, and swans
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Also: ducks. informal dear or darling: used as a term of endearment or of general address See also ducky
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informal a person, esp one regarded as odd or endearing
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cricket a score of nothing by a batsman
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informal without effect
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informal to become adept at or attracted to something very quickly
verb
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to move (the head or body) quickly downwards or away, esp so as to escape observation or evade a blow
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to submerge or plunge suddenly and often briefly under water
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informal to dodge or escape (a person, duty, etc)
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(intr) bridge to play a low card when possessing a higher one rather than try to win a trick
noun
noun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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ducksimple
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duckssimple
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have duckedperfect
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has duckedperfect
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am duckingprogressive
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are duckingprogressive
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is duckingprogressive
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have been duckingperfect progressive
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has been duckingperfect progressive
Past
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duckedsimple
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had duckedperfect
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was duckingprogressive
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were duckingprogressive
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had been duckingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of duck1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English duk, doke, Old English dūce “diver, duck”; akin to duck 2
Origin of duck2
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English duken, douken; cognate with German tauchen “to dive,” ducken “to duck”
Origin of duck3
First recorded in 1630–40; from Dutch doek “cloth”; cognate with German Tuch
Origin of duck4
An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; by alteration
Explanation
A duck is a bird that spends much of its life on or near water. You can sometimes see whole families of ducks paddling across lakes and ponds. Ducks can be wild or domesticated — if you keep ducks in your yard, you'll need to provide them with at least a small body of water. When the word duck is a verb, it means "to bow or dip suddenly," like when your kite plunges suddenly and you duck to avoid getting hit in the head. You can duck figuratively, too: "Don't you dare duck out of helping me clean up after the party!"
Vocabulary lists containing duck
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That opened the door to spinner Simon Harmer, who had Alex Carey caught reverse sweeping with just two to his name and Cooper Connolly caught behind for a two-ball duck.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
If only other politicians would learn from the examples set by Eisenhower, JFK, George W. Bush and Golda Meir—leaders who didn’t duck the hard fights and who accepted responsibility when things went wrong.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Last year, Reeves announced the government-backed expansion, saying "a third runway is badly needed", and the government could not "duck the decision any longer".
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
In two videos Van Orden posted to X and “Made with Grok Imagine,” X’s proprietary AI tool, depict Cooke as an indignant red duck.
From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2026
Her body knew the way, knew the roots and rocks to step over and the low branches to duck under.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
A familiar landscape is painted: one of lame ducks, intraparty infighting, constitutional constraints, the return of institutional balance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026
On the morning of his first awards nomination, he ducks behind the set to hide a grateful tear.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
It would not hurt to get legal advice now and get your ducks in a row, just in case Daniel’s three children take this further.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
About 40 minutes in, he heard ducks quacking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
I look at the water and the ducks.
From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi
All of a sudden, Bass was a staggering champion lunging at a revived Raman, who swung and stung and ducked the way only a hungry up-and-comer can.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
We ducked under a gate and surrounded Ernie as he headed to the locker room.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
“I immediately ducked down, put my hands up, and covered my head,” she said.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
Santner ducked into a Stokes short ball and was given out, caught at gully.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
I ducked my face to hide my smile.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
After months of ducking the issue, Mr. Rogers on Wednesday released an ad distancing himself from the tariffs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
This time, there is no ducking the merits.
From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2026
As Archer cranked up the pace, Phillips spent plenty of time on the floor, ducking and diving.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
As the family is photographed, several Aces members come in and pause for a brief hug and coo before ducking quickly out of frame.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026
He stops whacking people, and shortly thereafter people stop ducking.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
