# duck

/ˈdək/ (US) · /dˈʌk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/duck
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. the bird

noun · CEFR A1

a common water bird with short legs, webbed feet, and a wide, flat beak.

For teachers: any of various species of aquatic birds in the family Anatidae, typically smaller than swans or geese.

- We took some bread to the park to feed the ducks in the pond.
- The conservation group is working to protect the nesting grounds of several native duck species along the riverbank.

### 3. term of endearment

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Dialect · Informal

a friendly way to address someone, similar to 'dear' or 'love'.

For teachers: a term of endearment or a familiar form of address, particularly common in specific British regional dialects.

- Are you alright there, duck? Can I help you with those bags?
- In parts of the English Midlands, it is perfectly standard for a shopkeeper to address a customer as 'duck' regardless of their gender.

### 4. cricket score of zero

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a score of zero in the game of cricket.

For teachers: a batsman's score of zero after being dismissed; an abbreviation of the phrase 'duck's egg'.

- The captain was disappointed to be out for a duck in the final match.
- After a string of impressive centuries, the opening batsman was unexpectedly dismissed for a golden duck on the first ball of the innings.

### 5. heavy fabric

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a strong, heavy cotton cloth used for making sails, tents, or work clothes.

For teachers: a heavy, plain-woven cotton or linen fabric, more durable than canvas.

- The sailor repaired the old sails using a patch of heavy cotton duck.
- The workwear brand prides itself on using triple-stitched cotton duck to ensure their trousers withstand the rigours of construction work.

### 6. to lower the head

verb · CEFR A2

to move your head or body down quickly to avoid being hit or seen.

For teachers: to lower the head or body suddenly, typically to avoid an obstruction or a blow.

- You need to duck when you go through that low doorway.
- He had to duck instinctively as the stray ball flew toward his head during the warm-up.

### 7. to avoid something

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to avoid doing something you are supposed to do.

For teachers: to evade a responsibility, duty, or unpleasant situation.

- He tried to duck the question by changing the subject quickly.
- The politician was accused of trying to duck the debate to avoid answering difficult questions about the new tax policy.

### 8. to go in or out quickly

verb · CEFR B1 · Informal

to move quickly into or out of a place for a short time.

For teachers: to enter or leave a location briefly or surreptitiously; often used with 'in' or 'out'.

- I'm just going to duck into the shop for a bottle of water.
- She managed to duck out of the meeting ten minutes early to catch her train without anyone noticing.

### 9. to push under water

verb · CEFR B2

to push someone or something under water for a short time.

For teachers: to plunge or submerge someone or something briefly under the surface of a liquid.

- The kids were playing in the pool and trying to duck each other.
- In the past, certain punishments involved ducking the accused into a pond to determine their guilt or innocence.

### 10. audio mixing

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to lower the volume of one sound so another sound can be heard better.

For teachers: to temporarily reduce the signal level of one audio track to allow another to be heard clearly, often automated via a sidechain compressor.

- The software will automatically duck the music when the narrator speaks.
- The radio producer adjusted the settings to ensure the background music would duck smoothly whenever the host began the news bulletin.

## Examples

- The duck swims slowly across the pond.
- We took some bread to the park to feed the ducks living in the lake.
- While many species of duck are migratory, some populations remain in urban parks year-round as long as there is open water and a steady food supply.

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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.