Ducks are not just animals that quack and waddle; they also inspire many expressions we use in English! In this blog post, we’ll explore some common idioms that feature the word “duck” or are inspired by these feathered friends. Even kids will find it easy to understand how these phrases are used in everyday language.
Duck Idioms
Here are 20 duck idioms in English.
1. Get your ducks in a row
Meaning: Organize things well.
Example: She got her ducks in a row before vacation.
2. Like water off a duck’s back
Meaning: Not letting criticism affect you.
Example: He ignored the insults, like water off a duck’s back.
3. Sitting duck
Meaning: An easy target.
Example: Left alone, he was a sitting duck for bullies.
4. Duck soup
Meaning: Something very easy to do.
Example: This puzzle is duck soup for her.
5. Dead duck
Meaning: A complete failure.
Example: His plan turned out to be a dead duck.
6. Duck and cover
Meaning: To protect oneself quickly.
Example: They had to duck and cover during the drill.
7. Lame duck
Meaning: Ineffective person or thing.
Example: The outgoing mayor was a lame duck.
8. Duck out
Meaning: Leave secretly or abruptly.
Example: He decided to duck out of the party early.
9. Duck to water
Meaning: Do naturally, without effort.
Example: She took to skiing like a duck to water.
10. Fine feathered friend
Meaning: A good and reliable friend.
Example: I’m meeting my fine feathered friend for lunch.
11. Duck’s guts
Meaning: Something excellent.
Example: This new car is the duck’s guts!
12. Take to something like a duck to water
Meaning: Quickly and naturally adapt.
Example: He took to coding like a duck to water.
13. Duck’s arse
Meaning: Very tidy or prim.
Example: He’s dressed up, neat as a duck’s arse.
14. Water off a duck’s back
Meaning: Criticism that doesn’t have an effect.
Example: Their comments were water off a duck’s back.
15. If it looks like a duck
Meaning: Things are as they seem.
Example: Well, if it looks like a duck and quacks…
16. All duck or no dinner
Meaning: All or nothing situation.
Example: It’s all duck or no dinner with him.
17. Be like a duck
Meaning: Stay calm on the surface, but work hard unseen.
Example: Just be like a duck, calm but paddling.
18. Duck for apples
Meaning: Try to catch floating apples with one’s mouth.
Example: Kids love to duck for apples at Halloween.
19. As lame as a duck
Meaning: Very ineffective or weak.
Example: His excuses were as lame as a duck.
20. Duck’s egg
Meaning: A score of zero in sports.
Example: He ended the game with a duck’s egg.
