duck

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
duck1

▶noun (pl. same or ducks)

• 1 a waterbird with a broad, blunt bill, short legs, and webbed feet, some kinds of which are domesticated. [Family Anatidae: many species.]

  ■ a female duck.

  Contrasted with drake.

• 2 a pure white thin-shelled bivalve mollusc found off the Atlantic coasts of America. [Genus Anatina.]

– phrases
get (or have) one's ducks in a row N. Amer. informal get (or have) everything organized.
like water off a duck's back referring to a hurtful remark which has no effect.
take to something like a duck to water take to something very readily.

– origin OE duce, from the Gmc base of duck2 (expressing the notion of ‘diving bird’).

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
duck2

▶verb

• 1 lower the head or body quickly to avoid a blow or missile or so as not to be seen.

• 2 informal evade (an unwelcome duty).

• 3 push (someone) under water.

• 4 Bridge refrain from playing a winning card on a particular trick for tactical reasons.

▶noun a quick lowering of the head.

– phrases
duck and dive Brit. use one's ingenuity to deal with or evade a situation.

– derivatives
ducker noun.

– origin ME: of Gmc origin; rel. to duck1.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
duck3

▶noun Cricket a batsman's score of nought.

– phrases
break one's duck Cricket score the first run of one's innings.

– origin C19: short for duck's egg, used for the figure 0.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
duck4 (also ducks)

▶noun Brit. informal dear (used as an affectionate form of address).

– origin C16: from duck1.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
duck5

▶noun a strong linen or cotton fabric, used chiefly for work clothes and sails.

■ (ducks) trousers made from duck.

– origin C17: from MDu. doek ‘linen’.