duck

DUK/dʌk/

Pluralducks, duck

Verbducks, ducking, ducked

25 meanings of duck

Practice

1
water birdnouncountable or uncountable
A water bird with a flat beak and skin between its toes that helps it swim.
We watched a duck dive for food at the park pond.
Ducks fly south together when winter comes.
2
lower headverbtransitive
To quickly lower your head or body, often to avoid being hit.
Duck your head when you go through the low doorway.
He ducked his head just as the ball flew past.
UsageSay duck your head or duck down.
Similarlower, bob, bow, dip
Oppositeraise, lift
Note
3
meatnoununcountable
The meat of a duck, eaten as food.
We ordered duck at the new restaurant downtown.
Mom cooked duck with rice for the holiday dinner.
UsageFor food, say roast duck, with no a.
4
avoid (duty)verbfigurativelytransitive
To avoid doing something that you are supposed to do.
You can't duck your homework forever.
The boss ducked the hard choices until it was too late.
UsageSay duck a question, or duck out of a job.
Similardodge, evade, avoid, sidestep, shirk
Oppositeface, confront, tackle, address
Note
5
pop inverbcolloquialintransitive
To go quickly into or out of a place, often for a short time.
Let's duck into the store until the rain stops.
She ducked into the bakery to buy some bread.
UsageSay duck into a shop.
Similarpop, nip, slip, dart
6
cricketnouncountable or uncountable
In cricket, a score of zero when a player gets out before scoring.
He was out for a duck in his first match.
She avoided a duck by scoring a single run late in the game.
UsageSay out for a duck.
Similarnought, zero
Note

Less common meanings

7
female birdnouncountable or uncountable
An adult female duck. The male is called a drake.
The duck sat on her eggs while the drake watched for danger.
The duck sat on her eggs while the drake swam nearby.
Similarhen
Oppositedrake
Note
8
dunkverbtransitive
To push someone or something quickly under water and pull it back up, or to go under quickly yourself.
Like dipping a cookie in milk and pulling it right back out.
The kids took turns trying to duck each other in the pool.
My big sister ducked me in the pool, and I came up laughing.
UsageSay duck someone under the water.
Similardunk, dip, plunge, submerge, immerse
Note
9
darlingnouncolloquialUK
A friendly word for someone you are talking to, like 'dear' or 'love', used mostly in parts of England.
Come here, duck, and let me fix your hair.
Sleep well, duck. I'll see you in the morning.
UsageUsed without a or the when speaking to someone: thanks, duck.
Similarlove, dear, pet, darling, sweetheart
Note
10
nouncolloquialcountable
A person of a certain type, almost always with a word like lucky or odd before it.
You won the prize again? You lucky duck!
My uncle is a bit of an odd duck, but everyone likes him.
Similarcharacter, bird, customer, cookie
11
canvasnouncountable or uncountable
A strong, tightly woven cloth, usually cotton, used to make sails, tents and work clothes.
The workers' aprons were cut from duck because it does not tear easily.
Sails for the small boat were sewn from heavy white duck.
UsageSay cotton duck for the cloth.
Similarcanvas, sailcloth
Note
12
nouncountable
A vehicle that can drive on roads and also float on water, often used for tours.
Like a bus that can turn into a boat.
We rode a duck through the city streets and then right into the river.
During the war, ducks carried soldiers and supplies from ships to the shore.
UsageOften duck tour.
Note
13
trousersnouncountable or uncountableplural
Pants made of duck, a strong, tightly woven cloth, usually cotton.
The sailors wore white ducks on deck all summer.
In the old photo, the tennis players all wear white ducks.
UsageOften white ducks.
Note
14
verb
To turn down one sound so another sound can be heard more clearly.
15
nounUS
A small pile of stones that hikers stack to show where the trail goes.
16
noun
A building built in the shape of the thing it sells or stands for.
17
nounslang
A playing card with the number two on it.
18
noun
A bottle with a long neck that men use to pee when they cannot get out of bed.
19
noun
In a game of marbles, the marble that a player tries to hit with the shooting marble.
20
noundated
A person in business who cannot pay their debts.
21
noun
A place in a cave where water almost reaches the roof, leaving little or no air to breathe.
22
noun
A heavy weight that holds a thin, bendable strip still while a person draws a curve.
23
verb
To secretly leave a small rubber duck on someone's Jeep to make the owner smile.
24
nounslangUS
A man in prison who is forced by other prisoners into a sexual relationship.
The more passive males are subjected to physical violence. I was subjected to being what they call a punk or a duck, which is someone else's power trip, that's all.
1986, Michael Rathbone, “Tell Someone”
25
noundialectalUK
A small, round meatball made from chopped organ meat.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of duck apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 2, 4–5, 8

From an Old English word meaning to dip, dive, or duck under water.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

Duck derives from an Old English verb meaning to dip, dive, or duck under water. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 1, 3, 6–7, 10, 12

From an Old English word for the bird, literally meaning "diver" or "dipper," from the same root as the verb "to duck."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Duck derives from an Old English bird name whose literal meaning was diver or dipper. en.wiktionary.org
The bird name shares its root with the verb to duck. en.wikipedia.org

Meanings 11, 13

From Dutch doek, meaning "cloth."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

The fabric word duck comes from Dutch doek. en.wiktionary.org
Dutch doek means cloth. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 9

A friendly word used in parts of central England, such as Stoke-on-Trent. No one is sure where it comes from, but Danish and Swedish have similar words for "doll."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The regional use includes Stoke-on-Trent in central England. dialectandheritage.org.uk
The origin of this sense of duck is uncertain. visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk
Danish and Swedish have similar words meaning doll: dukke and docka. en.wiktionary.org