duck

[ duhk ]

/ dʌk /

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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.

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orchard

body of land completely surrounded by water

group of cultivated fruit trees

long mournful cry

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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.

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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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for ducked

We huddled under the covers and drank and ate and then ducked out in the dark to brush our teeth.
A Little Too Off the Beaten Path in Burma|Katya Cengel|June 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When he reached me at that gathering, he ducked a question about his role by declaring: “What is important is historical truth.”
Poland’s Warmed-Over Cold Warrior|Andrew Nagorski|May 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As she ducked out of the Sheraton fundraiser, she met a group of women coming at her on the up escalator.
How the Left Cut Down a Democratic Frontrunner|David Freedlander|May 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The two young brothers, aged six and seven, described how they ducked down in the back seat when the bullets started to fly.
The Little Boy Mowed Down By The Mafia|Barbie Latza Nadeau|March 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

A woman who was sitting with the father would later tell police that she ducked down and covered her ears as he returned fire.
Montana’s Real-Life Walter White|Michael Daly|December 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Vickers ducked, and it exploded against the wall above his head.
Jack of Both Sides|Florence Coombe
Ira sprang nimbly to the right and ducked, avoiding Genes blow, and at the same time shot his own right fist around.
Center Rush Rowland|Ralph Henry Barbour
Cutting the switch he slid out of the car and ducked over a hedge.
A Yankee Flier Over Berlin|Al Avery
Now it was gone, and now it ducked up again like a sea-mew, and past skerries and capes it whizzed like a dart.
Weird Tales from Northern Seas|Jonas Lie
The half of comic literature depends upon someone's getting cudgelled or ducked in a well, or subjected to some pain.
The Book of This and That|Robert Lynd

British Dictionary definitions for ducked (1 of 4)

duck¹

/ (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 addressSee 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 ducked (2 of 4)

duck²

/ (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 ducked (3 of 4)

duck³

/ (dʌk) /

noun

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

Word Origin for duck

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

British Dictionary definitions for ducked (4 of 4)

duck⁴

/ (dʌk) /

noun

an amphibious vehicle used in World War II

Word Origin for duck

C20: from code name DUKW

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with ducked

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

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

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Origin of duck

SYNONYMS FOR duck

Words nearby duck

Example sentences from the Web for ducked

British Dictionary definitions for ducked (1 of 4)

noun plural ducks or duck

Word Origin for duck

British Dictionary definitions for ducked (2 of 4)

verb

noun

Derived forms of duck

Word Origin for duck

British Dictionary definitions for ducked (3 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for duck

British Dictionary definitions for ducked (4 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for duck

Idioms and Phrases with ducked

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

duck

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT 2ND-3RD GRADE VOCAB FROM BOOKS!

Origin of duck

SYNONYMS FOR duck

Words nearby duck

Words related to ducked

Example sentences from the Web for ducked

British Dictionary definitions for ducked (1 of 4)

noun plural ducks or duck

Word Origin for duck

British Dictionary definitions for ducked (2 of 4)

verb

noun

Derived forms of duck

Word Origin for duck

British Dictionary definitions for ducked (3 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for duck

British Dictionary definitions for ducked (4 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for duck

Idioms and Phrases with ducked