Duck

Definition of Duck

Pronunciation: dŭk

A linen (or sometimes cotton) fabric, finer and lighter than canvas, - used for the lighter sails of vessels, the sacking of beds, and sometimes for men's clothing.

(Naut.) The light clothes worn by sailors in hot climates.

v. t.

To thrust or plunge under water or other liquid and suddenly withdraw.

[imp. & p. p. Ducked ; p. pr. & vb. n. Ducking.]

Adams, after ducking the squire twice or thrice, leaped out of the tub.

- Fielding.

To plunge the head of under water, immediately withdrawing it; as, duck the boy.

To bow; to bob down; to move quickly with a downward motion.

v. i.

To go under the surface of water and immediately reappear; to dive; to plunge the head in water or other liquid; to dip.

In Tiber ducking thrice by break of day.

- Dryden.

To drop the head or person suddenly; to bow.

The learned pate
Ducks to the golden fool.

- Shak.

(Zool.) Any bird of the subfamily Anatinæ, family Anatidæ.

A sudden inclination of the bead or dropping of the person, resembling the motion of a duck in water.

Here be, without duck or nod,
Other trippings to be trod.

- Milton.

Bombay duck
(Zool.) a fish. See Bummalo.

Buffel duck
See Buffel duck.

Duck ant
(Zool.) a species of white ant in Jamaica which builds large nests in trees.

Duck barnacle
(Zool.) See Goose barnacle.

Duck hawk
a -	(Zool.) In the United States: The peregrine falcon.
b -	In England: The marsh harrier or moor buzzard.

Duck mole
(Zool.) a small aquatic mammal of Australia, having webbed feet and a bill resembling that of a duck (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). It belongs the subclass Monotremata and is remarkable for laying eggs like a bird or reptile; - called also duckbill, platypus, mallangong, mullingong, tambreet, and water mole.

To make ducks and drakes
to throw a flat stone obliquely, so as to make it rebound repeatedly from the surface of the water, raising a succession of jets<- = skipping stones ->

To play at ducks and drakes
to throw it away heedlessly or squander it foolishly and unprofitably.

Lame duck
See under Lame.

Related Words

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Dubiosity
Dubious
Dubiously
Dubiousness
Dubitable
Dubitancy
Dubitate
Dubitation
Dubitative
Duboisia
Duboisine
Ducal
Ducally
Ducat
Ducatoon
Duces tecum
Duchess
Duchesse d'Angouleme
Duchesse lace
Duchy
-Duck-
Duck ant
Duck barnacle
Duck hawk
Duck mole
Duck's-bill
Duck's-bill limpet
Duck's-foot
duck-billed
Duck-billed platypus
Duck-legged
Duckbill
Ducker
Ducking
Ducking stool
Duckling
Duckmeat
Duckweed
ducky
Duct
Ductible

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