Phrase guide

dead duck

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

One who is in serious danger or trouble.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • She's a dead duck if she starts flirting with my boyfriend!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dead meat

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A project that is doomed to failure from the start.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • The government decision meant that the proposed boycott of South African goods was a dead duck.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

something doomed to failure

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he finally admitted that the legislation was a dead duck
  • the idea of another TV channel is now a dead duck
  • as theories go, that's a dead duck

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: failure

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: home mort — person or project that is in serious trouble or doomed to fail
  • Finnish: tuhoon tuomittu hanke — person or project that is in serious trouble or doomed to fail
  • French: être fait comme un rat — person or project that is in serious trouble or doomed to fail
  • Polish: osoba skazana na porażkę — person or project that is in serious trouble or doomed to fail
  • Russian: поко́йник (pokójnik) — person or project that is in serious trouble or doomed to fail
  • Russian: труп (trup) — person or project that is in serious trouble or doomed to fail
  • Russian: до́хлый но́мер (dóxlyj nómer) — person or project that is in serious trouble or doomed to fail
  • Spanish: hombre muerto — person or project that is in serious trouble or doomed to fail