Idiom idiom
duck and Dive
Slang Cockney rhyming slang · East London
Meaning
skive
Examples
“He likes to duck and dive instead of doing his work.”
“The employee spent the afternoon ducking and diving to avoid the manager's request for the report.”
“Rather than addressing the mounting backlog of tasks, he spent the entire week ducking and diving to escape any real responsibility.”
Origin
A duck when diving is hidden beneath the pond's surface and to duck is to avoid a blow by a quick dropping movement.
Anchors to
Last updated June 7, 2026