duck

noun

UK /dʌk/

Word Forms

singular	duck
plural	ducks

1
countable Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬a water bird with short legs, webbed feet (=with skin between the toes), and a large flat beak
Synonyms and related words
Birds that live near rivers and lakes
bittern
coot
crane
1. 1a
  a female duck. The male is called a drake.
  Synonyms and related words
  Female animals
  bitch
  cow
  dam
2. 1b
  uncountable the meat of a duck
  roast duck
  Synonyms and related words
  Types of meat
  bacon
  beef
  bushmeat
3. 1c
  only before nounrelating to ducks
  duck feathers
  Synonyms and related words
  Relating to or connected with specific animals
  aquiline
  birdlike
  bovine
2
countable a zero score by a batsman in a game of cricket
Synonyms and related words
Cricket
the Ashes
at stumps
bail
Synonyms and related words
Zero
zero
nought
oh
3

duck or ducks
countable Britishspokenused for talking to someone you like
How are you, duck?
Synonyms and related words
Names used for talking to someone in a friendly way
love
darling
mate
4
play ducks and drakes with
to treat in a reckless or frivolous way
Her husband was playing ducks and drakes with her fortune on the stock exchange.
Submitted by:
Tina from India on 01/08/2017
Open Dictionary - August2017
5
break your duck
to do something for the first time after a lot of trying
Rangers break Parkhead duck with thunderous win over Celtic
Submitted by:
mm from India on 29/12/2019
Open Dictionary - December2019

phrases

take to something like a duck to water

duck

noun

US /dʌk/

Word Forms

singular	duck
plural	ducks

1
countable Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬a water bird with short legs, webbed feet (=with skin between the toes), and a large flat beak
Synonyms and related words
Birds that live near rivers and lakes
bittern
coot
crane
1. 1a
  a female duck. The male is called a drake.
  Synonyms and related words
  Female animals
  bitch
  cow
  dam
2. 1b
  uncountable the meat of a duck
  roast duck
  Synonyms and related words
  Types of meat
  bacon
  beef
  chicken
3. 1c
  only before nounrelating to ducks
  duck feathers
  Synonyms and related words
  Relating to or connected with specific animals
  aquiline
  birdlike
  bovine
2

duck or ducks
countable Britishspokenused for talking to someone you like
How are you, duck?
Synonyms and related words
Names used for talking to someone in a friendly way
mate
babe
bud
3
play ducks and drakes with
to treat in a reckless or frivolous way
Her husband was playing ducks and drakes with her fortune on the stock exchange.
Submitted by:
Tina from India on 01/08/2017
Open Dictionary - August2017
4
break your duck
to do something for the first time after a lot of trying
Rangers break Parkhead duck with thunderous win over Celtic
Submitted by:
mm from India on 29/12/2019
Open Dictionary - December2019

phrases

break your duck

get (all) your ducks in a row

take to something like a duck to water

duck

verb

UK /dʌk/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	duck
he/she/it	ducks
present participle	ducking
past tense	ducked
past participle	ducked

1
intransitive/transitive to lower your head or head and body quickly, in order to move under something or to avoid being hit
Young children can just duck under the gate and avoid paying.
He ducked the blow and came up again.
Synonyms and related words
To change your position
balance
bear yourself
bend
Synonyms and related words
To move your head
avert your eyes/gaze/head etc
bob your head
bury your face/head in something
2
transitive to force someone’s head under water for a short time, often in rough play
Synonyms and related words
To move, or to make something move in water
go down
carry
sink
3
intransitive to move quickly into or behind something, especially to avoid being seen
He ducked behind the wall.
Synonyms and related words
To hide, or to hide something
hide
cover
obscure
Synonyms and related words
To move somewhere quickly
fly
hasten
speed
1. 3a
  to go quickly into a place for a specific purpose
  Judith ducked under a shop awning to get out of the rain.
  Synonyms and related words
  To move somewhere quickly
  fly
  hasten
  speed
4
transitive to avoid something such as a difficult question, issue, or duty
Stop trying to duck the issue – who paid you for this?
Synonyms and related words
To avoid doing something, or to avoid something
avoid
get out of
duck out of

phrasal verbs

duck out

duck out of

duck

verb

US /dʌk/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	duck
he/she/it	ducks
present participle	ducking
past tense	ducked
past participle	ducked

1
intransitive/transitive to lower your head or head and body quickly, in order to move under something or to avoid being hit
Young children can just duck under the gate and avoid paying.
He ducked the punch and came up swinging.
Synonyms and related words
To change your position
balance
bear yourself
bend
Synonyms and related words
To move your head
avert your eyes/gaze/head etc.
bob your head
bury your face/head in something
2
transitive to force someone’s head under water for a short time, often in rough play
Synonyms and related words
To move, or to make something move in water
go down
carry
sink
3
transitive to avoid something such as a difficult question, issue, or duty
Stop trying to duck the issue – who paid you for this?
Synonyms and related words
To avoid doing something, or to avoid something
avoid
get out of
duck out of
4
intransitive to move quickly into or behind something, especially to avoid being seen
He ducked behind the wall.
Synonyms and related words
To hide, or to hide something
hide
cover
obscure
Synonyms and related words
To move somewhere quickly
fly
hasten
speed
1. 4a
  to go quickly into a place for a specific purpose
  Judith ducked under a store awning to get out of the rain.
  Synonyms and related words
  To move somewhere quickly
  fly
  hasten
  speed

phrasal verbs

duck out

duck out of

duck ​‌‌

duck or ducks

play ducks and drakes with

break your duck

duck ​‌‌

duck or ducks

play ducks and drakes with

break your duck

duck ​‌

duck ​‌

duck

duck

duck

duck