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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Platypus \Plat"y*pus\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? ? foot.] (Zool.)
The {duck mole}. See under {Duck}.

Syn: Duck Mole, duckbill, duck-bill platypus, duck-billed
platypus. [1913 Webster]


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 former
are the common domestic duck ({Anas boschas}); the wood
duck ({Aix sponsa}); the beautiful mandarin duck of
China ({Dendronessa galeriliculata}); the Muscovy duck,
originally of South America ({Cairina moschata}). Among
the sea ducks are the eider, canvasback, scoter, etc.
[1913 Webster]

2. A sudden inclination of the bead or dropping of the
person, resembling the motion of a duck in water.
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Here be, without duck or nod,
Other trippings to be trod. --Milton.
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{Bombay duck} (Zool.), a fish. See {Bummalo}.

{Buffel duck}, {Spirit duck}. See {Buffel duck}.

{Duck ant} (Zool.), a species of white ant in Jamaica which
builds large nests in trees.

{Duck barnacle}. (Zool.) See {Goose barnacle}.

{Duck hawk}. (Zool.)
(a) In the United States: The peregrine falcon.
(b) In England: The marsh harrier or moor buzzard.

{Duck mole} (Zool.), a small aquatic mammal of Australia,
having webbed feet and a bill resembling that of a duck
({Ornithorhynchus anatinus}). It belongs the subclass
Monotremata and is remarkable for laying eggs like a bird
or reptile; -- called also {duckbill}, {platypus},
{mallangong}, {mullingong}, {tambreet}, and {water mole}.


{To make ducks and drakes}, to throw a flat stone obliquely,
so as to make it rebound repeatedly from the surface of
the water, raising a succession of jets; hence:

{To play at ducks and drakes}, with property, to throw it
away heedlessly or squander it foolishly and unprofitably.


{Lame duck}. See under {Lame}.
[1913 Webster]