duck (redirected from water off a duck's back)

be duck soup (American, informal)

to be very easy to do. Winning your case in court ought to be duck soup.

See also: soup

be (like) water off a duck's back

if criticism is water off a duck's back to someone, it has no effect on them at all. He's always being told he's lazy and incompetent, but it's just water off a duck's back to him. (often + to)

See also: back, water

a dead duck

1. something or someone that is not successful or useful. The project was a dead duck from the start due to a lack of funding. My first agent turned out to be a bit of a dead duck and he failed to find me any work.

2. someone who is going to be punished severely for something they have done. If Dad finds out you used the car, you'll be a dead duck.

See also: dead

ducking and diving (informal)

if you spend your time ducking and diving, you are involved in many different activities, especially ones which are not honest. 'What do you do for a living?' 'This and that, ducking and diving.'

See also: dive

get your ducks in a row (American, informal)

to organize things well. The government talks about tax changes but they won't fix a date or an amount - they just can't get their ducks in a row.

See also: row

a lame duck

1. a person or company that is in trouble and needs help. In under two years, it was transformed from a state-owned lame duck into a successful company.

(mainly American)

2. someone, especially an elected official, who cannot influence events any more, often because their job is going to end soon. The Mayor intends to run for re-election to avoid being thought of as a lame duck.

See also: lame

lame-duck (mainly American)

a lame duck - someone, especially an elected official, who cannot influence events any more, often because their job is going to end soon. Having lost control of Congress, he was in danger of becoming a lame-duck president. (always before noun)

a sitting duck

something or someone that is easy to attack or criticize. Unarmed policemen walking the streets late at night are sitting ducks.

See also: sitting

take to something like a duck to water

to learn how to do something very quickly and to enjoy doing it. Sue just took to motherhood like a duck to water. He's taken to his new school like a duck to water.

See also: like, take, water

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duck out (of somewhere)

to leave a place quickly and without being noticed. The press was waiting for us in front of the hospital, so we ducked out a side door into the car.

Usage notes: often said about leaving before an event is finished: She ducked out of the dinner to watch the last quarter of the game.

slip away

have your ducks in a row

to organize things well. I thought Mike was extremely smart and always had his ducks in a row.

put your (own) house in order

See also: row