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Webster 1913 Edition

Duck

Duck

(dŭk)
,
Noun.
[Cf. Dan.
dukke
, Sw.
docka
, OHG.
doccha
, G.
docke
. Cf.
Doxy
.]
A pet; a darling.
Shak.

Duck

,
Noun.
[D.
doek
cloth, canvas, or Icel.
dūkr
cloth; akin to OHG.
tuoh
, G.
tuch
, Sw.
duk
, Dan.
dug
.]
1.
A linen (or sometimes cotton) fabric, finer and lighter than canvas, – used for the lighter sails of vessels, the sacking of beds, and sometimes for men’s clothing.
2.
(Naut.)
pl.
The light clothes worn by sailors in hot climates.
[Colloq.]

Duck

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ducked
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Ducking
.]
[OE.
duken
,
douken
, to dive; akin to D.
duiken
, OHG.
t[GREEK]hhan
, MHG.
tucken
,
tücken
,
t[GREEK]chen
, G.
tuchen
. Cf. 5th
Duck
.]
1.
To thrust or plunge under water or other liquid and suddenly withdraw.
Adams, after
ducking
the squire twice or thrice, leaped out of the tub.
Fielding.
2.
To plunge the head of under water, immediately withdrawing it;
as,
duck
the boy
.
3.
To bow; to bob down; to move quickly with a downward motion.
“ Will duck his head aside.”
Swift.

Duck

(dŭk)
,
Verb.
I.
1.
To go under the surface of water and immediately reappear; to dive; to plunge the head in water or other liquid; to dip.
In Tiber
ducking
thrice by break of day.
Dryden.
2.
To drop the head or person suddenly; to bow.
The learned pate
Ducks
to the golden fool.
Shakespeare

Duck

,
Noun.
[OE.
duke
,
doke
. See
Duck
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
(Zool.)
Any bird of the subfamily
Anatinæ
, family
Anatidæ
.
☞ The genera and species are numerous. They are divided into
river ducks
and
sea ducks
. Among the former are the common domestic duck (
Anas boschas
); the wood duck (
Aix sponsa
); the beautiful mandarin duck of China (
Dendronessa galeriliculata
); the Muscovy duck, originally of South America (
Cairina moschata
). Among the sea ducks are the eider, canvasback, scoter, etc.
2.
A sudden inclination of the bead or dropping of the person, resembling the motion of a duck in water.
Here be, without
duck
or nod,
Other trippings to be trod.
Milton.
Bombay duck
(Zool.)
,
a fish. See
Bummalo
.
–
Buffel duck
,
Spirit duck
.
See
Buffel duck
.
–
Duck ant
(Zool.)
,
a species of white ant in Jamaica which builds large nests in trees.
–
Duck barnacle
.
(Zool.)
See
Goose barnacle
.
–
Duck hawk
.
(Zool.)
(a)
In the United States: The peregrine falcon.
(b)
In England: The marsh harrier or moor buzzard.
–
Duck mole
(Zool.)
,
a small aquatic mammal of Australia, having webbed feet and a bill resembling that of a duck (
Ornithorhynchus anatinus
). It belongs the subclass Monotremata and is remarkable for laying eggs like a bird or reptile; – called also
duckbill
,
platypus
,
mallangong
,
mullingong
,
tambreet
, and
water mole
.
–
To make ducks and drakes
,
to throw a flat stone obliquely, so as to make it rebound repeatedly from the surface of the water, raising a succession of jets
; hence:
To play at ducks and drakes
, with property,
to throw it away heedlessly or squander it foolishly and unprofitably.
–
Lame duck
.
See under
Lame
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Duck

DUCK

,
Noun.
[G, L., to weave.] A species of coarse cloth or canvas, used for sails, sacking of beds, &c.

DUCK

,
Noun.
[from the verb, to duck.]
1.
A water fowl, so called from its plunging. There are many species or varieties of the duck, some wild, others tame.
2.
An inclination of the head, resembling the motion of a duck in water.
3.
A stone thrown obliquely on the water so as to rebound; as in duck and drake.

DUCK

,
Noun.
A word of endearment or fondness.

DUCK

,
Verb.
T.
[G.]
1.
To dip or plunge in water and suddenly withdraw; as, to duck a seamen. It differs from dive, which signifies to plunge ones self, without immediately emerging.
2.
To plunge the head in water and immediately withdraw it; as, duck the boy.
3.
To bow, stoop or nod.

DUCK

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To plunge into water and immediately withdraw; to dip; to plunge the head in water or other liquid.
In Tiber ducking thrice by break of day.
2.
To drop the head suddenly; to bow; to cringe.
Duck with French nods.

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