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

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

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

noun

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