Pronunciation: /dʌk/

Definitions of duck

noun A waterfowl with a broad blunt bill, short legs, webbed feet, and a waddling gait.

Example Sentences

A1 I saw a duck swimming in the pond.

A2 The duck waddled over to the edge of the lake.

B1 The farmer raised ducks on his farm for their eggs.

B2 The ducklings followed their mother in a straight line.

C1 The duck population in the wetlands has been steadily increasing.

C2 The ornithologist studied the behavior of ducks in their natural habitat.

verb To lower the head or body quickly to avoid a blow or so as not to be seen.

Example Sentences

A1 The duck ducked under the water to catch a fish.

A2 She ducked behind the tree to avoid being seen by her friends.

B1 The boxer ducked and weaved to avoid his opponent's punches.

B2 The spy ducked into an alley to escape the pursuing agents.

C1 The politician ducked questions about his involvement in the scandal.

C2 The ninja expertly ducked under the swinging sword, avoiding injury.

Examples of duck in a Sentence

formal The duck waddled gracefully across the pond.

informal Hey, look at that cute duck swimming in the lake!

slang I can't believe he ducked out of paying for dinner last night.

figurative She always seems to duck out of taking responsibility for her actions.

Grammatical Forms of duck

past tense

ducked

plural

ducks

comparative

duckier

superlative

duckiest

present tense

duck

future tense

will duck

perfect tense

have ducked

continuous tense

ducking

singular

duck

positive degree

duck

infinitive

to duck

gerund

ducking

participle

ducked

Origin and Evolution of duck

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'duck' has its origin in Old English 'duce' or 'duce', which is derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'dukaz'.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to the bird species, the word 'duck' evolved to also describe the action of lowering oneself or avoiding something by moving quickly out of the way. It later extended to include the verb 'duck' meaning to dip or submerge briefly underwater.