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English noun: duck

1. duck (animal) small wild or domesticated web-footed broad-billed swimming bird usually having a depressed body and short legs


Broader (hypernym)anseriform bird


Narrower (hyponym)Aix galericulata, Aix sponsa, Anas acuta, Anas clypeata, Anas penelope, Anas platyrhynchos, Anas rubripes, Aythya americana, Aythya ferina, Aythya valisineria, black duck, bluebill, broadbill, broadbill, Bucephela albeola, Bucephela clangula, bufflehead, butterball, Cairina moschata, canvasback, canvasback duck, dabbler, dabbling duck, dipper, diving duck, drake, duckling, goldeneye, mallard, mandarin duck, muscovy duck, musk duck, Oxyura jamaicensis, pin-tailed duck, pintail, pochard, quack-quack, redhead, ruddy duck, scaup, scaup duck, sea duck, sheldrake, shoveler, shoveller, summer duck, teal, whistler, widgeon, wigeon, wild duck, wood duck, wood widgeon


Part holonymduck, duck down


Member meronymAnatidae, family Anatidae

2. duck (quantity) (cricket) a score of nothing by a batsman


Synonymsduck's egg


Broader (hypernym)score


Domain categorycricket

3. duck (food) flesh of a duck (domestic or wild)


Broader (hypernym)poultry


Narrower (hyponym)duckling


Part meronymduck

4. duck (artifact) a heavy cotton fabric of plain weave; used for clothing and tents


Broader (hypernym)cloth, fabric, material, textile


English verb: duck

1. duck (motion) to move (the head or body) quickly downwards or away


SamplesBefore he could duck, another stone struck him.


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s.
Somebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)move

2. duck (motion) submerge or plunge suddenly


ExamplesThe airplane is sure to duck


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s.
Somebody ----s something PP.
Somebody ----s PP


Broader (hypernym)dive, plunge, plunk

3. duck (motion) dip into a liquid


SamplesHe dipped into the pool.


Synonymsdip, douse


Pattern of useSomething is ----ing PP.
Somebody ----s something PP


Broader (hypernym)dip, douse, dunk, plunge, souse

4. duck (communication) avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)


SamplesHe dodged the issue.
She skirted the problem.
They tend to evade their responsibilities.
He evaded the questions skillfully.


Synonymscircumvent, dodge, elude, evade, fudge, hedge, parry, put off, sidestep, skirt


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)avoid


Narrower (hyponym)beg, quibble









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
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