Sitting Duck

Pronunciation: /ˈsɪtɪŋ dʌk/

Definitions of sitting duck

noun a person or thing that is easily a target or victim, especially in a dangerous situation

Example Sentences

A1 The sitting duck quacked loudly by the pond.

A2 The hunter aimed carefully at the sitting duck in the marsh.

B1 The politician felt like a sitting duck during the debate.

B2 The company's lack of cybersecurity measures left them vulnerable like a sitting duck.

C1 The whistleblower knew they were a sitting duck for retaliation.

C2 The spy felt like a sitting duck in enemy territory.

Examples of sitting duck in a Sentence

formal The security breach left our system vulnerable, like a sitting duck waiting to be attacked.

informal Leaving your bike unlocked in this neighborhood is like a sitting duck for thieves.

slang Don't be a sitting duck out there, make sure you're always aware of your surroundings.

figurative Without a backup plan, we were like sitting ducks in the face of uncertainty.

Grammatical Forms of sitting duck

• past tense: sat
• plural: sitting ducks
• comparative: more vulnerable
• superlative: most vulnerable
• present tense: sits
• future tense: will sit
• perfect tense: has sat
• continuous tense: is sitting
• singular: sitting duck
• positive degree: easy target
• infinitive: to sit duck
• gerund: sitting
• participle: sitting

Origin and Evolution of sitting duck

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The term 'sitting duck' originated from the hunting practice of shooting ducks that were sitting on the water, making them easy targets.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the phrase 'sitting duck' has evolved to be used metaphorically to describe someone or something that is an easy target or vulnerable to attack.