duck

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Scientific names 1.3.2 Derived terms 1.3.3 Translations 1.3.4 References 1.4 See also 1.5 Verb 1.5.1 Synonyms 1.5.2 Derived terms 1.5.3 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Old English duce

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /dʌk/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file},  ducks (US)^{help, file}

• Rhymes: -ʌk

[edit] Noun

duck (plural ducks)

1. An aquatic bird of the family Anatidae, having a flat bill and webbed feet.
2. Specifically, an adult female duck; contrasted with drake and with duckling.
3. The flesh of a duck used as food.
4. (cricket) A batsman's score of zero after getting out. (short for duck's egg, since the digit "0" is round like an egg.)
5. A term of endearment
6. (British, chiefly East of the Pennines) Dear, Mate (informal way of addressing a friend or stranger).

   Ay up duck, ow'a'tha?

7. (slang) A playing card with the rank of two.
8. A tightly-woven cotton fabric used as sailcloth.
   • 1912, Katherine Mansfield, "The Woman At The Store", from "Selected Short Stories":

   He was dressed in a Jaeger vest—a pair of blue duck trousers, fastened round the waist with a plaited leather belt.

9. A partly-flooded cave passage with limited airspace.

[edit] Scientific names

• Anas platyrhynchos (domesticus), Mallard-derived domestic breeds, including Pekin, Rouen, Campbell, Call, Runner
• Cairina moschata, Muscovy duck

[edit] Derived terms

break one’s duck, break the duck Burdekin duck dabbling duck diving duck duck-arsed duck-footed duckbill duck-billed duckboard

duckling ducks and drakes ducks on the pond lame duck Peking duck quack like a duck‎ shelduck sitting duck take to something like a duck to water

[edit] Translations

[edit] References

• Weisenberg, Michael (2000) The Official Dictionary of Poker. MGI/Mike Caro University. ISBN 978-1880069523

[edit] See also

drake goose

swan waterfowl

[edit] Verb

to duck (third-person singular simple present ducks, present participle ducking, simple past and past participle ducked)

1. (intransitive) To lower the head or body in order to prevent it from being struck by something.
2. (transitive) To lower (something) into water.
3. (transitive) To lower (the head) in order to prevent it from being struck by something.
4. (transitive) To try to evade doing something.

[edit] Synonyms

• (to lower the head): duck down
• (to lower into the water): dip, dunk
• (to lower in order to prevent it from being struck by something): dip

[edit] Derived terms

• duck and cover

[edit] Translations