# dead duck

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dead-duck
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

One who is in serious danger or trouble.

## Examples

- Without his passport, he is a dead duck.
- If the manager finds out you lost that important file, you are a dead duck.
- The company realized that without a sudden influx of capital, their ambitious expansion project was a dead duck.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.