lame duck — ˌlame ˈduck noun [countable] informal 1. a politician or a government that no longer has any real power or authority: • A bad defeat for his party in October risks making him a lame duck for the remaining two years of his presidency. 2. COMMERCE… … Financial and business terms
lame duck — {n.}, {informal} An elected public official who has been either defeated in a new election or whose term cannot be renewed, but who has a short period of time left in office during which he can still perform certain duties, though with somewhat… … Dictionary of American idioms
lame duck — {n.}, {informal} An elected public official who has been either defeated in a new election or whose term cannot be renewed, but who has a short period of time left in office during which he can still perform certain duties, though with somewhat… … Dictionary of American idioms
Lame duck — can refer to:* Lame duck (politics), an elected official who has lost political power * Lame duck (game design), a player in a game who cannot win, yet remains in the game. * Lame duck (tango), a position in tango * Lame Ducks (TV series), a… … Wikipedia
lame duck — lame ducks 1) N COUNT: oft N n (disapproval) If you describe someone or something as a lame duck, you are critical of them because they are not successful and need to be helped a lot. Look, I m not one of your lame ducks... It is not proper to… … English dictionary
Lame duck — Duck Duck, n. [OE. duke, doke. See {Duck}, v. t. ] 1. (Zool.) Any bird of the subfamily {Anatin[ae]}, family {Anatid[ae]}. [1913 Webster] Note: The genera and species are numerous. They are divided into {river ducks} and {sea ducks}. Among the… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
lame´-duck´ — lame duck, 1. U.S. a public official, especially a Congressman, who has been defeated for reelection and is serving the last part of his term: »Like a lame duck President, a Prime Minister who is known to be on the way out cannot command… … Useful english dictionary
Lame duck — Lame Lame (l[=a]m), a. [Compar. {Lamer} (l[=a]m [ e]r); superl. {Lamest}.] [OE. lame, AS. lama; akin to D. lam, G. lahm, OHG., Dan., & Sw. lam, Icel. lami, Russ. lomate to break, lomota rheumatism.] 1. (a) Moving with pain or difficulty on… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
lame-duck — adjective only before noun a lame duck leader or LEGISLATOR is one that is not powerful: a lame duck president … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
lame duck — 1761, any disabled person or thing; especially Stock Exchange slang for defaulter. A lame duck is a man who cannot pay his differences, and is said to waddle off. [Thomas Love Peacock, Gryll Grange, 1861] Sometimes also in naval use for an old,… … Etymology dictionary
