Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

break one's duck

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.96 in modern English

Syllables: break one's -duck
IPA

26

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

2

Syllables

11

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To score one's first run in an innings.

verb

To do something for the first time.

British usage

Example Sentences

"Best had come on as a substitute in the 1-0 win at Wigan last weekend and wasted a goalscoring opportunity after stumbling as he was about to shoot, so many of the fans in black and white could have been forgiven for thinking that perhaps the burly forward was destined not to break his duck."

Etymology

From cricket, where duck means a score of zero.

Usage

British usage

Inflected Forms

breaks one's duck (present, singular) breaking one's duck (participle, present) broke one's duck (past) broken one's duck (participle, past)

Questions

What does break one's duck mean?: To score one's first run in an innings.
Where does break one's duck come from?: From cricket, where duck means a score of zero.

How to pronounce break one's duck

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