Hypertext Webster Gateway: "ducking"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Duck \Duck\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ducked}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Ducking}.] [OE. duken, douken, to dive; akin to D. duiken,
OHG. t?hhan, MHG. tucken, t["u]cken, t?chen, G. tuchen. Cf.
5th {Duck}.]
1. To thrust or plunge under water or other liquid and
suddenly withdraw.
Adams, after ducking the squire twice or thrice,
leaped out of the tub. --Fielding.
2. To plunge the head of under water, immediately withdrawing
it; as, duck the boy.
3. To bow; to bob down; to move quickly with a downward
motion. `` Will duck his head aside.'' --Swift.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Ducking \Duck"ing\,
n. & a., from {Duck}, v. t. & i.
{Ducking stool}, a stool or chair in which common scolds were
formerly tied, and plunged into water, as a punishment.
See {Cucking stool}. The practice of ducking began in the
latter part of the 15th century, and prevailed until the
early part of the 18th, and occasionally as late as the
19th century. --Blackstone. Chambers.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
ducking
n 1: hunting ducks [syn: {duck hunting}]
2: the act of submerging something [syn: {dousing}, {immersion}]
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