duck

n. [ Cf. Dan. dukke, Sw. docka, OHG. doccha, G. docke. Cf. Doxy. ] A pet; a darling. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. duke, doke. See Duck, v. t. ] 1. (Zool.) Any bird of the subfamily Anatinæ, family Anatidæ. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A sudden inclination of the bead or dropping of the person, resembling the motion of a duck in water. [ 1913 Webster ]

Here be, without duck or nod,
Other trippings to be trod. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

In Tiber ducking thrice by break of day. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To drop the head or person suddenly; to bow. [ 1913 Webster ]

The learned pate
Ducks to the golden fool. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) pl. The light clothes worn by sailors in hot climates. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) See Duck mole, under Duck, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a bill like that of a duck; as, a duck-billed dinosaur.. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. having a beak resembling that of a duck.
Syn. -- duckbill, duckbilled. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. same as Duck Mole, under Duck..
Syn. -- duck mole, duckbill, duck-bill platypus, platypus. [ PJC ]