Definition of "duck" in English

verb

1. (transitive) To quickly lower (the head or body), often in order to prevent it from being struck by something.

2. (transitive) To lower (something) into water; to thrust or plunge under liquid and suddenly withdraw.

3. (intransitive) To go under the surface of water and immediately reappear; to plunge one's head into water or other liquid.

4. (intransitive) To bow.

5. (transitive, figurative) To evade doing something, especially something considered a responsibility.

6. (transitive) To lower the volume of (a sound) so that other sounds in the mix can be heard more clearly.

7. (intransitive, colloquial) To enter a place for a short moment.

   • I'm just going to duck into the loo for a minute; can you hold my bag?

noun

1. (caving) A cave passage containing water with low, or no, airspace.

noun

1. An aquatic bird of the family Anatidae, having a flat bill and webbed feet.

2. Specifically, an adult female duck; contrasted with drake and with duckling.

3. (uncountable) The flesh of a duck used as food.

4. (cricket) A batsman's score of zero after getting out. (Short for duck's egg.)

5. (slang) A playing card with the rank of two.

6. Ellipsis of architectural duck; a building intentionally constructed in the shape of an everyday object to which it is related.

   • A luncheonette in the shape of a coffee cup is particularly conspicuous, as is intended of an architectural duck or folly.

7. A marble to be shot at with another marble (the shooter) in children's games.

8. (US) A cairn used to mark a trail.

9. One of the weights used to hold a spline in place for the purpose of drawing a curve.

10. (finance, slang, dated) Synonym of lame duck (“one who cannot fulfil their contracts”).

11. (medicine) A long-necked medical urinal for men; a bed urinal.

12. (UK, slang, obsolete) A faggot; a meatball made from offal.

13. (US, LGBTQ, prison slang) Synonym of bitch (“a man forced or coerced into a homosexual relationship, especially in prison”).

noun

1. A tightly-woven cotton fabric used as sailcloth.

2. (in the plural) Trousers made of such material.

noun

1. A term of endearment; pet; darling.

2. (Midlands) Dear, mate (informal way of addressing a friend or stranger).