Webster's English Dictionary

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duck

1. duck \'d*k\ n or ducks;  or duck [ME doke, fr. OE du-ce] pl  often 
   attrib  pl  1a: any of various swimming birds (family Anatidae, the duck 
   family) in whi ch the neck and legs are short, the body more or less 
   depressed, the bill often broad and flat, and the sexes almost always 
   different from each other in plumage 1b: the flesh of any of these birds 
   used as food  2: a female duck  chiefly Brit  3: DARLING  slang  4: PERSON, 
   CREATURE 
2. duck vb [ME douken; akin to OHG tu-hhan to dive, OE du-ce duck] 1: to 
   thrust under water  2: to lower (as the head) quickly : BOW  3: AVOID, 
   EVADE {~ the issue}  1a: to plunge under the surface of water  1b: to 
   descend suddenly : DIP  2a: to lower the head or body suddenly  2b: BOW, 
   BOB  3a: to move quickly : DODGE  3b: to evade a duty, question, or 
   responsibility  - duck.er n
3. duck n : an instance of ducking 
4. duck n [D doek cloth; akin to OHG tuoh cloth, and perh. to Skt dhvajaX 
   flag 1: a durable closely woven usu. cotton fabric  pl  2: light clothes 
   made of duck 
5. duck n [DUKW, its code designation] : an amphibious truck