To quickly lower (the head or body), often in order to prevent it from being struck by something.
As some raw youth in country bred, To arms by thirst of honour led, When at a skirmish first he hears The bullets whistling round his ears, Will duck his head asidec. 1729, Jonathan Swift, To Dr. Delany on the Libels Written Against Him:
Rimmer ducked his body low into his chair, so just his head remained above the table top, and peered past the backs of the examinees in front of him, waiting for the adjudicator to make his move.1989, Grant Naylor, Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers:
2
To lower (something) into water; to thrust or plunge under liquid and suddenly withdraw.
Adams after ducking the Squire tvvice or thrice leaped out of the Tub, […]1742, Henry Fielding, “A Scene of Roasting Very Nicely Adapted to the Present Taste and Times”, in The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and of His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams. […], volume II, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book III, page 122:
3
To go under the surface of water and immediately reappear; to plunge one's head into water or other liquid.
[…]In Tiber ducking thrice, by break of day[…]1693, Aulus Persius Flaccus, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus.] The Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, page 22:
4
To bow.
The Learned pate / Duckes to the Golden Foole.c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 90, column 2:
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Figuratively To evade doing something, especially something considered a responsibility.
Victorian women choosing to duck the demands of domestic life to spend their time doing something they enjoyed is hardly a novel idea.2018 July 21, Kathryn Hughes, “The strange cult of Emily Brontë and the 'hot mess' of Wuthering Heights”, in The Guardian:
But pressed by Labour's Marsha de Cordov in the House of Commons on June 29, on "whether he plans to reduce the total number of ticket offices", Merriman ducked the question but confirmed that the Government wants to close ticket offices.2023 July 12, Mel Holley, “Network News: RDG presses ahead with ticket office closure plan”, in RAIL, number 987, page 7:
1 more example
That was the moment, but Senate Republicans ducked it.2024 January 19, Jonathan Freedland, “There is still a way to stop Donald Trump – but time is running out”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
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To lower the volume of (a sound) so that other sounds in the mix can be heard more clearly.
The music is ducked under the voice.2007, Alexander U. Case, Sound FX: unlocking the creative potential of recording studio effects, page 183:
From Middle English ducken, duken, douken (“to duck, plunge under water, submerge”), from Old English *dūcan (“to dip, dive, duck”), from Proto-West Germanic *dūkan, from Proto-Germanic *dūkaną (“to dip, dive, bend down, stoop, duck”). Cognates Related to Scots dulk (“to duck”), Middle Dutch ducken (“to duck”), Low German ducken (“to duck”), German ducken (“to duck”), Danish dukke, dykke (“to dive”). Related also to Scots dook, douk (“to bathe, drench, soak, baptise”), West Frisian dûke (“to plunge, dive”), Dutch duiken (“to dive, plunge, duck”), Low German duken (“to duck, dive, stoop”), German tauchen (“to dive, plunge, immerse, duck”), Swedish dyka (“to dive, submerge”).
1
Caving, Hobbies, Lifestyle A cave passage containing water with low, or no, airspace.
duck
noun
Etymology
From Middle English doke, ducke, dukke, dokke, douke, duke, from Old English duce, dūce (“duck”, literally “dipper, diver, ducker”), from Old English *dūcan (“to dip, dive, duck”), from Proto-West Germanic *dūkan, from Proto-Germanic *dūkaną (“to dive, bend down”). See verb above. Cognates Cognate with Scots duik, duke, dook (“duck”), Danish dukand, dykand (“sea-duck”), Swedish dykfågel (“a diver, diving bird, plungeon”), Dutch duiker (“diving bird, loon”, literally “diver, dipper, plunger”), German Low German Düker (“diving bird, loon”, literally “diver”), German Taucher (“diving bird, loon, grebe”, literally “diver, plunger”). For the meaning development compare Russian ныро́к (nyrók, “pochard”) (< ныря́ть (nyrjátʹ, “to dive”)).
Any of certain aquatic birds of the family Anatidae, having a flat bill and webbed feet, distinguished from swans and geese by generally being smaller and shorter-necked.
Matsumoto Castle exhibits the architecture of both war and peace, from its steep wooden stairs, hidden inner levels and archer’s perches to the moon-viewing room added in 1630, which also offers a vantage point for viewing the brocaded carps and ducks residing in the castle moat.2023 May 18, David McElhenney, “13 of Japan’s best castles”, in CNN:
The payment processor’s layoffs and the curious incident of the duck were first reported by Business Insider.2025 January 23, John Towfighi, “Stripe accidentally sends image of cartoon duck to laid-off employees”, in CNN:
2
Specifically, an adult female duck; contrasted with drake and with duckling.
3
The flesh of a duck used as food.
4
Ball games, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A batsman's score of zero after getting out. (Short for duck's egg.)
Abbreviation, Ellipsis 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.
The Big Duck has influenced the world of architecture; any building that is shaped like its product is called a ‘duck’.2007 February 21, Cynthia Blair, “It Happened on Long Island: 1988—Suffolk County Adopts the Big Duck”, in Newsday:
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Love them or hate them, ducks have a light-hearted presence in our architectural history.2017 July 8, Syed, Sabrina, ArchDaily:
Today, “ducks” continue to crop up across America and beyond, but they are no longer relegated to strips and roadsides alone; in many cases, they’ve entered the tight-knit landscape of cities ...2019 June 10, Gotthardt, Alexxa, “The Quirky, Endearing Tradition of “Duck” Architecture”, in artsy.net:
In Las Vegas, Ducks thrive because resorts often transform themselves into oversized symbols of the fantasy they promise.2025 September 30, Duck Duck Shed:
7
A marble to be shot at with another marble (the shooter) in children's games.
US, Slang Synonym of bitch (“a man forced or coerced into a homosexual relationship, especially in prison”).
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 April 19, Michael Rathbone, “Tell Someone”, in Gay Community News, page 4:
Etymology Denominal verb of duck (noun) and ellipsis of rubber duck
1
To surreptitiously leave a rubber duck on someone's parked Jeep as an act of kindness (see Jeep ducking).
The couple has gotten messages from people they've ducked saying how happy it made them, and even some saying they might also start ducking.2020 July 29, Susannah Sudborough, “It may sound quacky, but Jeep ducking is a real thing and it's right here in Taunton”, in Taunton Daily Gazette, Taunton, Massachusetts:
She didn't even notice the duck on her vehicles when she first was ducked in spring.2022 September 13, Breana Noble, “'World's largest rubber duck' at Detroit auto show celebrates Jeep 'ducking' movement”, in The Detroit News:
Etymology From Dutch doek, from Middle Dutch doeck, doec (“linen cloth”), from Old Dutch *dōc, from Proto-West Germanic *dōk, from Proto-Germanic *dōkaz (“cloth, rag”), from Proto-Indo-European *dwōg-, *dwōk-. Cognate with German Tuch (“cloth”), Swedish duk (“cloth, canvas”), Icelandic dúkur (“cloth, fabric”). Doublet of doek.
1
A tightly-woven cotton or linen fabric, often used as sailcloth.
Near-synonym: sailduck
He was dressed in a Jaeger vest—a pair of blue duck trousers, fastened round the waist with a plaited leather belt.1912, Katherine Mansfield, “The Woman At The Store”, in Selected Short Stories:
2
In plural Trousers made of such material.
And they would go up and find old Allington, in white ducks, standing in the fringe of long grasses and cow-parsley on the other edge of the island, looking to his poultry or his rabbits.1918 March, Rebecca West [pseudonym; Cicily Isabel Fairfield], chapter III, in The Return of the Soldier, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., published 1918, →OCLC, pages 67–68:
A native servant emerged, anonymous in his white ducks and red fez, to say My Player was wanted on the telephone.1954, Doris Lessing, A Proper Marriage, HarperPerennial, published 1995, page 74:
Etymology Potteries dialect, Black Country dialect and dialects of the former territory of Mercia (central England). Compare Danish dukke (“doll”), Swedish docka (“baby; doll”), dialectal English doxy (“sweetheart”).
1
A term of endearment; pet; darling.
[…]and hold-faſt is the onely Dogge: My Ducke[…]1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 75, column 2:
2
Midlands Dear, mate (informal way of addressing a friend or stranger).