Hypertext Webster Gateway: "quack"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Quack \Quack\, a.
Pertaining to or characterized by, boasting and pretension;
used by quacks; pretending to cure diseases; as, a quack
medicine; a quack doctor.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Quack \Quack\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Qvacked}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Quacking}.] [Of imitative origin; cf. D. kwaken, G. quacken,
quaken, Icel. kvaka to twitter.]
1. To utter a sound like the cry of a duck.
2. To make vain and loud pretensions; to boast. `` To quack
of universal cures.'' --Hudibras.
3. To act the part of a quack, or pretender.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Quack \Quack\, n.
1. The cry of the duck, or a sound in imitation of it; a
hoarse, quacking noise. --Chaucer.
2. [Cf. {Quacksalver}.] A boastful pretender to medical
skill; an empiric; an ignorant practitioner.
3. Hence, one who boastfully pretends to skill or knowledge
of any kind not possessed; a charlatan.
Quacks political; quacks scientific, academical.
--Carlyle.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
quack
adj : medically unqualified; "a quack doctor" [syn: {quack(a)}]
n 1: an untrained person who pretends to be a physician and who
dispenses medical advice
2: the harsh sound of a duck
v 1: utter quacking noises; "The ducks quacked"
2: act as a medical quack or a charlatan
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