Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [ded duhk]
- /dɛd dʌk/
- /ded dʌk/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [ded duhk]
- /dɛd dʌk/
Definitions of dead duck words
- countable noun dead duck If you describe someone or something as a dead duck, you are emphasizing that you think they have absolutely no chance of succeeding. 3
- noun dead duck a person or thing doomed to death, failure, etc, esp because of a mistake or misjudgment 3
- noun dead duck a person or thing that is ruined or certain to suffer ruin, failure, or death; goner 3
- noun dead duck a person or thing that is beyond help, redemption, or hope: One more missed opportunity and this whole enterprise is a dead duck. 1
- noun dead duck sth that will not succeed 1
- noun dead duck (Idiomatic) One who is in serious danger or trouble. 0
Information block about the term
Origin of dead duck
First appearance:
before 1820 One of the 38% newest English words
An Americanism dating back to 1820-30; orig., in political slang, a person who has lost influence or power and is therefore useless; perhaps from the proverb “never waste powder on a dead duck”
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Dead duck
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
dead duck popularity
A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 37% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
According to our data about 71% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.
dead duck usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for dead duck
adj dead duck
- forlorn — desolate or dreary; unhappy or miserable, as in feeling, condition, or appearance.
- vain — excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.; conceited: a vain dandy.
- futile — incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful: Attempting to force-feed the sick horse was futile.
- despondent — If you are despondent, you are very unhappy because you have been experiencing difficulties that you think you will not be able to overcome.
- sad — Systems Analysis Definition
noun dead duck
- pushover — Informal. anything done easily.
- babe in the woods — a baby or child.
- soft touch — a person who is easily convinced, especially to give or lend money: a soft touch for charities.
- toast — a salutation or a few words of congratulation, good wishes, appreciation, remembrance, etc., uttered immediately before drinking to a person, event, etc.
- vulnerable — capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon: a vulnerable part of the body.
Antonyms for dead duck
adj dead duck
- cheerful — Someone who is cheerful is happy and shows this in their behaviour.
- joyful — full of joy, as a person or one's heart; glad; delighted.
- confident — If you are confident about something, you are certain that it will happen in the way you want it to.
- content — The contents of a container such as a bottle, box, or room are the things that are inside it.
- satisfied — content: a satisfied look.
See also
Matching words
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