4. (colloquial).—A term of endearment; also used in admiration; e.g., a
duck of a bonnet. Also ducky: duck of diamonds being a superlative. For
synonyms, see My tulip.
1837. Comic Almanack, p. 78. You won’t grudge your poor rib a few
ribbons, will you, Duck?
1841. Leman Rede, Sixteen-String Jack, i., 2. Nel. Oh, isn’t he a
duck of a fellow? Bob. He’s the very flower of the flock.
1846. Punch, vol. XI., p. 164. Though somewhat out at elbows, he’s
what the ladies call a ‘duck.’
5. (cheap jacks’).—A metal-cased watch; i.e., old watch movements in
German silver cases.
1876. C. Hindley, Life and Advent. of Cheap Jack, p. 38. What
appeared to the roughs a fine old English and valuable watch, but
what in reality was an almost worthless duck.
To make a duck, or duck’s egg, verb. phr. (cricketers’).—To make no
score; Cf., To crack one’s egg, and pair of spectacles. [From the shape
of the ‘O.’]
1868. St. Paul’s Magazine, Aug. You see by the twitch of the hand,
the glove rapidly raised to the face, and replaced on the
bat-handle, the jerk of the elbow, and perhaps the uneasy lifting
of the foot, that his fear of a duck—as, by a pardonable
contraction from ‘duck’s-egg,’—a nought is called in cricket
play—etc.
1870. London Figaro, 21 June. J. C. Shaw is a host in himself; he
took six wickets, and all of them for ducks.
1872. Weekly Dispatch 9 June. The next ball from Brice sends
Caffyn’s bails flying: and out comes the last man—Southerton—and he
is used to duck’s eggs.
1883. Echo, 15 May, p. 4, col. 2. Out of the eleven Surrey batsmen
who played against Notts yesterday, no less than five were credited
with ducks.
Duck that runs, or grinds the gospel mill, subs. phr. (American).—A
clergyman. For synonyms, see Devil-dodger.
1869. S. L. Clemens (‘Mark Twain’) Innocents at Home, p. 17, 18.
Are you the duck that runs the gospel mill next door?
Lame Duck (q.v. post).
German Duck (q.v. post.).
To do a duck, verb. phr. (thieves’).—To hide under the seat of a public
conveyance with a view to avoid paying the fare. [From duck = to bow or
stoop.]
1889. Sporting Times. Doin’ a duck, macin’ the rattler, ridin’ on
the cheap, on the odno, under the bloomin’ seat.
Ducket.—See Ducat.
Duck-footed, adj. phr. (common).—Said of people who walk like a duck;
i.e., with the toes turned inwards.
Ducking. To go ducking, verb. phr. (common).—To go courting. [From duck
(q.v.) = a term of endearment + ing.] See Goose-and-Duck.
Ducks, subs. (colloquial).—1. Linen trousers; generally white ducks.
[From the material and colour.] At Eton worn only by men in the boats.
For synonyms, see Bags and Kicks.
1835. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, p. 248. There’s our man, Tom; he
can have a pair of ducks of mine, and a check shirt of Bob’s.
1846. Punch, vol. X., p. 263. I wore my Russian Ducks, In their
beautiful whiteness.
1888. Mrs. Musgrave, Savage London. Billy should do the thing
proper, and be married in a pair of white ducks.