单词 | does a duck swim? |
释义 | > as lemmasdoes (or will, would) a duck swim? 2. In phrases and proverbial sayings. duck's weather, fine day for ducks, etc., referring to wet weather; like a duck in thunder, like a (dying) duck in a thunderstorm: having a forlorn and hopeless appearance; like water off (or from) a duck's back, like (or as) a duck (takes) to water: easily, readily; does (or will, would) a duck swim?: a colloquial phrase of enthusiastic acceptance or confirmation. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > in vain [phrase] > having no effect upon a person like water off (or from) a duck's back1871 1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Apprendre (An idle, vaine, or needlesse labour) we say, to teach his grandame to grope ducks. a1656 R. Capel in C. H. Spurgeon Treasury of David (1870) I. Ps. ix. 18 Money, which lying long in the bank, comes home at last with a duck in its mouth. 1786 ‘P. Pindar’ Lyric Odes for 1785 (new ed.) vii. 21 Gaping upon Tom's thumb, with me in wonder; The rabble rais'd its eyes—like ducks in thunder. 1802 C. Wilmot Irish Peer on Continent (1920) 35 On asking him what fault he had to find with her, he look'd ‘like a Duck in Thunder’, and made me instinctively wave [sic] the investigation. 1823 W. Scott Peveril I. xi. 269 Closed her eyes like a dying fowl—turned them up like a duck in a thunder-storm. 1824 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 16 347 The thing passed off like water from a duck's back. 1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. ii. 81 Mr. Swiveller..observed that last week was a fine week for the ducks, and this week was a fine week for the dust. 1842 S. Lover Handy Andy iv. 35 ‘What do you say..will you dine with me?’ ‘Will a duck swim?’ chuckled out Jack Horan. 1863 C. Kingsley Water-babies v. 188 Then he..turned up his eyes like a duck in thunder. 1867 A. D. Richardson Beyond Mississippi xiv. 177 He takes to them as instinctively as a young duck to water. 1871 C. Kingsley Lett. (1877) II. 368 All else is a ‘paralogism’ and runs off them like water off a duck's back. 1880 J. Payn Confidential Agent III. 161 Look less like a duck in a thunderstorm. 1885 Boy's Own Paper 23 May 542/3 ‘Perhaps you would not object to drinking the queen's health?’ Would a duck swim? 1889 L. B. Walford Stiff-necked Generation (1891) 321 It had all passed off like water off a duck's back. 1891 L. T. Meade Sweet Girl Graduate xvi. 133 ‘Do you really think that Maggie Oliphant cares for Mr. Hammond?’..‘Cares for him!.. Does a duck swim? Does a baby like sweet things?’ 1893 Scribner's Mag. Aug. 227/2 She has taken to society as a duck takes to water. 1894 J. D. Astley Fifty Years of my Life I. 22 I always took to shooting like a duck to water. 1906 ‘O. Henry’ Four Million (1916) 82 ‘With you, Dempsey?’ she stammered. ‘Say—will a duck swim?’ 1917 J. C. Bridge Cheshire Proverbs 72 He winks and thinks like a duck i' thunner. 1933 A. Christie Lord Edgware Dies xxii. 183 You did look for all the world like a dying duck in a thunderstorm. 1960 C. Day Lewis Buried Day vi. 107 I had taken to vice like a duck to water, but it ran off me like water from a duck's back. 1971 ‘A. Gilbert’ Tenant for Tomb i. 8 The Bear Lady said brightly that it was a nice day for the ducks. < as lemmas |
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