quack1
- the harsh, throaty cry of a duck or any similar sound.
- to utter the cry of a duck or a sound resembling it.
Origin of quack1
quack2
- a fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical skill.
- a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to skill, knowledge, or qualifications he or she does not possess; a charlatan.
- being a quack: a quack psychologist who complicates everyone's problems.
- presented falsely as having curative powers: quack medicine.
- of, relating to, or befitting a quack or quackery: quack methods.
- to treat in the manner of a quack.
- to advertise or sell with fraudulent claims.
Origin of quack2
Synonyms
See more synonyms for quack on Thesaurus.comExamples from the Web for quack
Contemporary Examples
Humor and historical distance allow me to illustrate how a quack operates in a way that I could not with a contemporary example.
The Strange, True Tale of the Old-Timey Goat Testicle-Implanting 'Governor'Penny Lane
September 16, 2014
Google his name, and the top two related searches come up as “Daniel Amen scam” and “Daniel Amen quack.”
Duck calls are short, whistle-like tools used to emit “quack” sounds in order to lure ducks for hunting.
Even the quack doctor, Dr. Gopalarajan, derives a real glimmer of joy from believing he has “helped, not harmed” a fellow being.
Must Read Fiction: ‘Prague Fatale,’ ‘Derby Day’ and MoreMalcolm Forbes, Hillary Kelly, Mythili Rao
May 9, 2012
Historical Examples
The one object of the quack doctor is to size you up and see what you "are good for."
Evening Round UpWilliam Crosbie Hunter
When all was said, a man in the presence of this quack did feel in the presence of a great man.
The Innocence of Father BrownG. K. Chesterton
Partridge, cobbler, astrologer, almanac-maker and quack (died 1708).
Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the DramaE. Cobham Brewer
As for his being a quack doctor, I see no great harm in that.
Japhet in Search of a FatherFrederick Marryat
As a mountebank, a juggler, a quack doctor—I spurned the very idea.
Japhet in Search of a FatherFrederick Marryat
quack1
- (of a duck) to utter a harsh guttural sound
- to make a noise like a duck
- the harsh guttural sound made by a duck
Word Origin
quack2
- an unqualified person who claims medical knowledge or other skills
- (as modifier)a quack doctor
- British, Australian and NZ informal a doctor; physician or surgeon
- (intr) to act in the manner of a quack
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for quack
v.
"to make a duck sound," 1610s, earlier quake (1520s), variant of quelke (early 14c.), of echoic origin (cf. Middle Dutch quacken, Old Church Slavonic kvakati, Latin coaxare "to croak," Greek koax "the croaking of frogs," Hittite akuwakuwash "frog"). Middle English on the quakke (14c.) meant "hoarse, croaking." Related: Quacked; quacking.
n.1
"medical charlatan," 1630s, short for quacksalver (1570s), from obsolete Dutch quacksalver (modern kwakzalver), literally "hawker of salve," from Middle Dutch quacken "to brag, boast," literally "to croak" (see quack (v.)) + salf "salve," salven "to rub with ointment" (see salve (v.)). As an adjective from 1650s. The oldest attested form of the word in this sense in English is as a verb, "to play the quack" (1620s). The Dutch word also is the source of German Quacksalber, Danish kvaksalver, Swedish kvacksalvare.
n.2
duck sound, 1839, from quack (v.).
quack
(kwăk)- An untrained person who pretends to be a physician and dispenses medical advice and treatment.
- A charlatan.