play ducks and drakes with (one)

play ducks and drakes with

To squander (something). "Ducks and drakes" is a game played by skipping a stone across the surface of water. Don't play ducks and drakes with this internship—it's a great opportunity, even if it doesn't pay!See also: and, drake, duck, play

play ducks and drakes with (one)

To treat one poorly, dishonestly, or with flippant disregard. They started playing ducks and drakes with their opponents toward the end of the game. I thought that there were the makings of a serious relationship, but lately it's felt like he's just playing ducks and drakes with me.See also: and, drake, duck, play

play ducks and drakes with someone

BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONEDIf someone plays ducks and drakes with people, they treat them badly by being dishonest with them or not taking them seriously. He accepted the ceasefire conditions, but since then has been playing ducks and drakes with the United Nations. Note: `Ducks and drakes' is the game of throwing flat stones across the surface of some water to see how many times you can make the stones bounce. In this expression, the person's attitude to others is perhaps being compared to someone idly and thoughtlessly throwing stones. See also: and, drake, duck, play, someone

play ducks and drakes with

trifle with; treat frivolously. This expression comes from the game of ducks and drakes , played by throwing a flat stone across the surface of water in such a way as to make it skim and skip before it finally sinks. The game was known by this name by the late 16th century, and it was already a metaphor for an idle or frivolous activity in the early 17th century.See also: and, drake, duck, play