Where did the expression ducks in a row come from?

Writers have suggested that the idiom comes from the game of pool, in which a ball in front of a pocket, an easy shot, is sometimes called a duck. To have a row of balls ready to be potted was to have all one’s ducks in a row.

Is ducks in a row an idiom?

To get one’s ducks in a row means to take care of one’s duties and responsibilities, to organize one’s affairs. Get one’s ducks in a row and have one’s ducks in a row are American idioms, the origin of these phrases is murky.

How do you have your ducks in a row in a sentence?

Example sentences — I wish we could join you but we have to get our ducks in a row before our move this weekend. — Too bad you didn’t have your ducks in a row before you quit your job. — I understood my prognosis was really poor when my doctor recommended I get my ducks in a row before my operation.

How do you get ducks in a row?

to be well prepared or well organized for something that is going to happen: They should have had their ducks in a row beforehand, so they were ready to start the job when required.

Why do ducks walk in a row?

Answer. Answer: The straight line is tactical, to disperse rivals for food, and to minimise the target size for a predator.

Why do we say duck?

The verb, meaning to dip, plunge, or dive, is what gave the the bird its name. It’s called a “duck” because it “ducks” or dives below the water’s surface. The Old English verb was the source of the bird’s name in Anglo-Saxon times: duce. The spelling “duck” developed later, for both the noun and the verb.

What does finger on the pulse mean?

have/keep/
Definition of have/keep/put one’s finger on the pulse of : to be aware of the latest things that are happening in (a certain industry, area, etc.) He claims that he has his finger on the pulse of the computer industry.

What does a bitter pill to swallow mean?

unpleasant fact
An unpleasant fact, disappointment, or humiliation that is difficult to endure. For example, Failing the bar exam was a bitter pill to swallow, but he plans to try again next year. [

What is the meaning of the idiom knows the ropes?

phrase. If you know the ropes, you know how a particular job or task should be done. [informal]

What does the phrase like a duck takes to water mean?

phrase. If you take to something like a duck to water, you discover that you are naturally good at it or that you find it very easy to do.

How do ducks imprint?

Ducklings hear their mother’s voice and begin answering as soon as they’ve formed vocal structures. In this way, the ducklings form a bond called imprinting—the recognition that this is a mother—which can also occur after the duckling has hatched.

Where do “Ducks in a row” come from…?

The most popular theory suggests that “ducks in a row” came from the world of sports, specifically bowling. Early bowling pins were often shorter and thicker than modern pins, which led to the nickname ducks.

How do you get your ducks in row?

Ducks in a row comes from ship building. A duck is a device that holds the keel in place while building a ship. The first step in building a ship is to get the ducks in straight row thus ensuring a straight keel.

What does the idiom Ducks in a row Mean?

To recap for those who missed my original column, “to have one’s ducks in a row” is an idiom meaning to have all one’s preparations done or arranged before beginning an activity or project, and the phrase is thought to have arisen by allusion to a mother duck leading her ducklings in an orderly single file.