DUCK


Meaning of DUCK in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ dʌk ]

( ducks, ducking, ducked)

1.

A duck is a very common water bird with short legs, a short neck, and a large flat beak.

N-VAR

Duck is the flesh of this bird when it is eaten as food.

...honey roasted duck.

N-UNCOUNT

2.

If you duck , you move your head or the top half of your body quickly downwards to avoid something that might hit you, or to avoid being seen.

He ducked in time to save his head from a blow from the poker...

He ducked his head to hide his admiration...

I wanted to duck down and slip past but they saw me.

VERB : V , V n , V adv / prep

3.

If you duck something such as a blow, you avoid it by moving your head or body quickly downwards.

Hans deftly ducked their blows.

= dodge

VERB : V n

4.

You say that someone ducks a duty or responsibility when you disapprove of the fact that they avoid it. ( INFORMAL )

The Opposition reckons the Health Secretary has ducked all the difficult decisions...

VERB : V n [ disapproval ]

5.

see also dead duck , lame duck , sitting duck

6.

You say that criticism is like water off a duck’s back or water off a duck’s back to emphasize that it is not having any effect on the person being criticized.

PHRASE : v-link PHR [ emphasis ]

7.

If you take to something like a duck to water , you discover that you are naturally good at it or that you find it very easy to do.

She took to mothering like a duck to water.

PHRASE : V inflects

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Английский словарь Коллинз COBUILD для изучающих язык на продвинутом уровне.