subs. (common).—1. Scraps of meat; otherwise BLOCK-ORNAMENTS, STICKING, FAGGOTS, MANABLINS, or CHUCK (q.v.).
2. (Winchester College).—The face. TO MAKE A DUCK = to make a grimace. For synonyms, see DIAL.
3. (common).—A ‘draw’ or decoy. [An abbreviation of DECOY-duck.]
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. The 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.
1878. C. HINDLEY, The Life and Adventures of a 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, 31 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 balls 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’), The 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. The Sporting Times. DOIN’ A DUCK, macin’ the rattler, ridin’ on the cheap, on the odno, under the bloomin’ seat.
