duck

UK: /ˈdʌk/ US: /dʌk/ ,(duk)

Inflections of 'duck' (n):

ducks

npl (All usages)

duck

npl (Can be used as a collective plural for the birds—e.g. "The men are hunting duck.")

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

duck¹ /dʌk/   n., pl. ducks, (esp. when thought of as a group for 1, 2. ) duck. 

1. Birds [countable] a small, short-necked, web-footed swimming bird.
2. Birds [countable] the female of this bird. Compare drake.
3. the flesh of this bird, eaten as food:
   [uncountable] Peking duck in orange sauce.

duck² /dʌk/   v. 

1. to (cause to) bend suddenly, esp. in order to avoid something: [no object]
   When the shooting started, we ducked behind a car.
   [~ + object]
   He ducked his head down as the shots rang out.
2. to avoid, or try to escape from (an unpleasant task, etc.);
   dodge: [~ + object]
   He's trying to duck responsibility for his actions.
   [~ + out (+ of) + object]
   She ducked out the back to avoid the reporters.
3. to plunge (the whole body or the head) momentarily under water: [no object]
   I ducked under the hose and washed my face.
   [~ + object]
   She ducked her head under the hose and washed off.

n. [countable]

4. an act or instance of ducking:
   a quick duck to the left.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

duck¹  (duk), n., pl. ducks, (esp. collectively for 1, 2) duck. 

1. Birds any of numerous wild or domesticated web-footed swimming birds of the family Anatidae, esp. of the genus Anas and allied genera, characterized by abroad, flat bill, short legs, and depressed body.
2. Birds the female of this bird, as distinguished from the male. Cf. drake¹.
3. the flesh of this bird, eaten as food.
4. Informal Terms person;
   individual:
   He's the queer old duck with the knee-length gaiters and walrus mustache.
5. Games a playing marble, esp. one that is not used as a shooter.
6. British Terms ducks, (used with a sing. v.)ducky².
7. British Terms, Sport [Cricket Slang.]
   • failure of a batsman to score:
     to be out for a duck.
   • a player's score of zero:
     to be bowled for a duck.
     Cf. goose egg.
8. Idioms water off a duck's back, something that has little or no effect:
   Our criticisms of his talk rolled off him like water off a duck's back.

• bef. 1000; Middle English duk, doke, Old English dūce diver, duck; akin to duck²

duck²  (duk), v.i. 

1. to stoop or bend suddenly;
   bob.
2. to avoid or evade a blow, unpleasant task, etc.;
   dodge.
3. to plunge the whole body or the head momentarily under water.
4. Games [Cards Informal.] to play a card lower than the card led.

v.t. 

5. to lower suddenly:
   Duck your head going through that low doorway.
6. to avoid or evade (a blow, unpleasant task, etc.);
   dodge:
   to duck a hard right; to duck an embarrassing question.
7. to plunge or dip in water momentarily.
8. Games [Cards Informal.] to play a card lower than (the card led).

n. 

9. an act or instance of ducking.

• 1250–1300; Middle English duken, douken; cognate with German tauchen to dive, ducken to duck

Synonyms

• 1. bow, dodge.
• 3. dive, dip, souse.

duck³  (duk), n. 

1. Textiles a heavy, plain-weave cotton fabric for tents, clothing, bags, etc., in any of various weights and widths.
2. Clothing ducks, (used with a pl. v.) slacks or trousers made of this material.

• Dutch doek cloth; cognate with German Tuch
• 1630–40

duck⁴  (duk), n. 

1. Military an amphibious military truck.

• alteration of DUKW, code name 1940–45, American.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

duck / dʌk/ noun (ducks, duck)

1. any of various small aquatic birds of the family Anatidae, typically having short legs, webbed feet, and a broad blunt bill: order Anseriformes
2. the flesh of this bird, used as food
3. the female of such a bird, as opposed to the male (drake)
4. any other bird of the family Anatidae, including geese and swans
5. Also: ducks dear or darling: used as a term of endearment or of general address
   See also ducky
6. a person, esp one regarded as odd or endearing
7. a score of nothing by a batter
8. get one's ducks in a row ⇒ to complete the necessary preparations before doing something
9. like water off a duck's back ⇒ without effect
10. take to something like a duck to water ⇒ to become adept at or attracted to something very quickly

Etymology: Old English dūce duck, diver; related to duck²

duck / dʌk/ verb

1. to move (the head or body) quickly downwards or away, esp so as to escape observation or evade a blow
2. to submerge or plunge suddenly and often briefly under water
3. when intr, often followed by out: to dodge or escape (a person, duty, etc)
4. (intransitive) to play a low card when possessing a higher one rather than try to win a trick

noun

1. the act or an instance of ducking

Etymology: 14th Century: related to Old High German tūhhan to dive, Middle Dutch dūken

ˈducker noun

duck / dʌk/ noun

1. a heavy cotton fabric of plain weave, used for clothing, tents, etc

Etymology: 17th Century: from Middle Dutch doek; related to Old High German tuoh cloth

duck / dʌk/ noun

1. an amphibious vehicle used in World War II

Etymology: 20th Century: from code name DUKW