duck and drake
LowInformal, Archaic, Dialectal
Definition
Meaning
A game or pastime where one skims a flat stone across the surface of water, causing it to bounce.
The act or instance of skimming a stone across water, or, by metaphor, a fleeting or transitory action; something that touches lightly and then moves on.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Predominantly a British English term. Now largely archaic or regional; mostly encountered in literary contexts or as a historical reference to the game.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'duck(s) and drake(s)' is the established term for the stone-skimming game. In American English, the common terms are 'ducks and drakes' or, more frequently, 'skipping stones' or 'stone skipping'.
Connotations
In BrE, it carries a somewhat nostalgic, rural, or old-fashioned connotation. In AmE, the term is rare and might sound quaint or deliberately literary.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary AmE. Very low in contemporary BrE, surviving in certain dialects and older literature.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
play + duck and drakeplay at + duck and drakemake + duck and drakes (with something)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To make ducks and drakes of (something): To squander or treat recklessly.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical or dialectological studies of games and pastimes.
Everyday
Very rare; if used, it's in a nostalgic or descriptive context about a simple game.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We played duck and drake by the lake.
- The children were at the pond, playing duck and drake with smooth flat stones.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A DRAKE is a male duck. Imagine a duck (the stone) bouncing on the water like a male duck might dip and rise during courtship.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRANSITORY ACTION IS A BOUNCING STONE (e.g., 'making ducks and drakes of his inheritance' treats money as something to be tossed away lightly).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'утка и селезень'. This refers to the animals, not the game. The concept is 'игра в блинчики' (stone skipping).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'duck and drake' as a verb (e.g., 'He duck and draked the stone' is incorrect). The structure is 'play duck and drake'.
- Confusing it with the literal birds.
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'to make ducks and drakes of something' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The game is typically referred to as 'duck and drake' (singular). The plural form 'ducks and drakes' is also used for the game and is the standard form for the related idiom.
It would be understood by many, but it sounds archaic or deliberately British. 'Stone skipping' or 'skipping stones' is the common modern American term.
The etymology is uncertain. One theory suggests the bouncing stone mimics the dipping motion of waterfowl. Another links it to the phrase 'to make ducks and drakes', where 'ducks' were the bounces and 'drakes' were the final plunge.
No, there is no standard verb form derived from the noun. You 'play duck and drake' or 'make ducks and drakes'.