duck Hear it!

duck1 definition

duck (duk)

noun

  1. pl. ducks or duck any of a large number of relatively small waterfowl with a flat bill, short neck and legs, and webbed feet
  2. a female duck
  3. the flesh of a duck as food
  4. Chiefly Brit., Informal a darling; dear
  5. Slang a person, esp. one qualified as being “odd,” “harmless,” “funny,” etc.

Etymology: ME doke < OE duce, lit., diver, ducker < base of *ducan, to plunge, dive (see duck); replaces OE ened (akin to Ger ente), common Gmc word for the bird

duck Idioms

like water off a duck's back

with no effect or reaction
duck2 definition

duck (duk)

transitive verb, intransitive verb

  1. to plunge or dip under water for a moment
  2. to lower, turn, or bend (the head, body, etc.) suddenly, as in avoiding a blow or in hiding
  3. Informal to avoid or evade the candidate ducked the issue
  4. Slang to move (in or out) quickly

Etymology: ME douken < OE *ducan, to plunge, dive, akin to OHG tūhan (Ger tauchen), MLowG dūken, Du duiken, to dive

noun

the act of ducking

Related Forms:

duck3 definition

duck (duk)

noun

  1. a cotton or linen cloth somewhat like canvas but finer and lighter in weight
  2. clothes, esp. white trousers, made of this cloth

Etymology: Du doek, akin to Ger tuch, cloth

duck4 definition

duck (duk)

noun

Mil. Slang an amphibious motor vehicle used during WWII

Etymology: altered (infl. by duck) < DUKW, military code name

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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