duck
duck /d'ʌk/ (ducks ducking ducked)
1 [N-VAR]
A duck is a very common water bird with short legs, a short neck, and a large flat beak.
[N-UNCOUNT]
Duck is the flesh of this bird when it is eaten as food.
...honey roasted duck.
2 [VERB] V, V n, V adv/prep
If you duck, you move your head or the top half of your body quickly downwards to avoid something that might hit you, or to avoid being seen.
He ducked in time to save his head from a blow from the poker...
He ducked his head to hide his admiration...
I wanted to duck down and slip past but they saw me.
3 [VERB] V n
If you duck something such as a blow, you avoid it by moving your head or body quickly downwards.
Hans deftly ducked their blows.
= dodge
4 [VERB] V n
You say that someone ducks a duty or responsibility when you disapprove of the fact that they avoid it. (INFORMAL)
The Opposition reckons the Health Secretary has ducked all the difficult decisions...
5
see also dead duck, lame duck,
6 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
You say that criticism is like water off a duck's back or water off a duck's back to emphasize that it is not having any effect on the person being criticized.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you take to something like a duck to water, you discover that you are naturally good at it or that you find it very easy to do.
She took to mothering like a duck to water.dead duck (dead ducks)
[N-COUNT]
If you describe someone or something as a dead duck, you are emphasizing that you think they have absolutely no chance of succeeding. (INFORMAL)duck out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P of n, V P
If you duck out of something that you are supposed to do, you avoid doing it. (INFORMAL)
George ducked out of his forced marriage to a cousin...
You can't duck out once you've taken on a responsibility.
= back outlame duck (lame ducks)
1 [N-COUNT] oft N n
If you describe someone or something as a lame duck, you are critical of them because they are not successful and need to be helped a lot.
...lame-duck industries.
2 [N-COUNT] usu N n
If you refer to a politician or a government as a lame duck, you mean that they have little real power, for example because their period of office is coming to an end.
...a lame duck government.sit|ting duck (sitting ducks)
[N-COUNT]
If you say that someone is a sitting duck, you mean that they are easy to attack, cheat, or take advantage of. (INFORMAL)
Nancy knew she'd be a sitting duck when she raised the trap door.
= sitting target
1 [N-VAR]
A duck is a very common water bird with short legs, a short neck, and a large flat beak.
[N-UNCOUNT]
Duck is the flesh of this bird when it is eaten as food.
...honey roasted duck.
2 [VERB] V, V n, V adv/prep
If you duck, you move your head or the top half of your body quickly downwards to avoid something that might hit you, or to avoid being seen.
He ducked in time to save his head from a blow from the poker...
He ducked his head to hide his admiration...
I wanted to duck down and slip past but they saw me.
3 [VERB] V n
If you duck something such as a blow, you avoid it by moving your head or body quickly downwards.
Hans deftly ducked their blows.
= dodge
4 [VERB] V n
You say that someone ducks a duty or responsibility when you disapprove of the fact that they avoid it. (INFORMAL)
The Opposition reckons the Health Secretary has ducked all the difficult decisions...
5
see also dead duck, lame duck,
6 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
You say that criticism is like water off a duck's back or water off a duck's back to emphasize that it is not having any effect on the person being criticized.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you take to something like a duck to water, you discover that you are naturally good at it or that you find it very easy to do.
She took to mothering like a duck to water.dead duck (dead ducks)
[N-COUNT]
If you describe someone or something as a dead duck, you are emphasizing that you think they have absolutely no chance of succeeding. (INFORMAL)duck out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P of n, V P
If you duck out of something that you are supposed to do, you avoid doing it. (INFORMAL)
George ducked out of his forced marriage to a cousin...
You can't duck out once you've taken on a responsibility.
= back outlame duck (lame ducks)
1 [N-COUNT] oft N n
If you describe someone or something as a lame duck, you are critical of them because they are not successful and need to be helped a lot.
...lame-duck industries.
2 [N-COUNT] usu N n
If you refer to a politician or a government as a lame duck, you mean that they have little real power, for example because their period of office is coming to an end.
...a lame duck government.sit|ting duck (sitting ducks)
[N-COUNT]
If you say that someone is a sitting duck, you mean that they are easy to attack, cheat, or take advantage of. (INFORMAL)
Nancy knew she'd be a sitting duck when she raised the trap door.
= sitting target