duck

[ duhk ]

/ dʌk /

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See synonyms for: duck / ducked / ducking on Thesaurus.com

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 shaved head 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 (def. 1).

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about 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

First recorded before 1000; Middle English duk, doke, Old English dūce “diver, duck”; akin to duck²

Other definitions for duck (2 of 4)

duck²

[ 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.

OTHER WORDS FOR duck

1 bow, dodge.

3 dive, dip, souse.

See synonyms for duck on Thesaurus.com

Origin of duck

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English duken, douken; cognate with German tauchen “to dive,” ducken “to duck”

Other definitions for duck (3 of 4)

duck³

[ 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

First recorded in 1630–40; from Dutch doek “cloth”; cognate with German Tuch

Other definitions for duck (4 of 4)

duck⁴

[ duhk ]

/ dʌk /

noun

DUKW.

Origin of duck

⁴

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; by alteration

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use duck in a sentence

Return the duck to the baking sheet, breast side up, and generously brush the duck with the glaze.
Orange-sriracha glazed duck and roasted fruit are a stunning sheet-pan dinner combination|Olga Massov|November 10, 2020|Washington Post
Blistered shishito peppers and daikon, cooked like the leg in duck fat, ramp up the pleasure.
Shibuya Eatery lives up to its name, bringing Tokyo street food to Adams Morgan|Tom Sietsema|October 30, 2020|Washington Post
Offerings included tea-smoked duck, prawns a la Sichuan, hot-and-sour soup, soup dumplings and other specialties from China’s provinces.
Cecilia Chiang, grand dame of Chinese cooking in America, dies at 100|Tim Carman|October 28, 2020|Washington Post
They are sitting ducks for the next big earthquake, which is likely to hit within the next century.
Finding homes for the waste that will (probably) outlive humanity|Katie McLean|October 21, 2020|MIT Technology Review

Occasionally I’d duck into the privacy room to lie down on a yoga mat, but I was always conscious of the risk that someone else might need it more—a new mom who needed to pump, a manager about to have a sensitive conversation.
Why you shouldn’t feel guilty for napping while working at home|Sarah Todd|September 20, 2020|Quartz
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
As mountaineers ducked out of them and trekked toward Everest, she dreamed of following.
Breaking Mount Everest’s Glass Ceiling|Amanda Padoan, Peter Zuckerman|March 30, 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 boy with a carton of groceries almost ran down Louis, then ducked down into the delivery entrance of the apartment-hotel.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
I ducked around the first corner, ran half a block, then slipped down the alley.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
Tom poked about amongst the passages, and pretty soon ducked under a wall where you wouldn't a noticed that there was a hole.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
Winfree ducked, found one of the dress sabers ignominiously sheathed in snow, and drew it out.
The Great Potlatch Riots|Allen Kim Lang
These, too, were shut and locked, and when I ducked under the nearest gondola I realized that I was trapped.
The Wreckers|Francis Lynde

British Dictionary definitions for duck (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 duck (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 duck (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 duck (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

Other Idioms and Phrases with duck

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

duck

Idioms about duck

Origin of duck

Other definitions for duck (2 of 4)

OTHER WORDS FOR duck

Origin of duck

Other definitions for duck (3 of 4)

Origin of duck

Other definitions for duck (4 of 4)

Origin of duck

Words related to duck

How to use duck in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for duck (1 of 4)

Word Origin for duck

British Dictionary definitions for duck (2 of 4)

Derived forms of duck

Word Origin for duck

British Dictionary definitions for duck (3 of 4)

Word Origin for duck

British Dictionary definitions for duck (4 of 4)

Word Origin for duck

Other Idioms and Phrases with duck