Have you ever heard the expression “sitting duck” and wondered what that means? Or have you ever heard someone or something being referred to as a “sitting duck”?
What is the meaning of the expression “sitting duck” and where does the expression find its root?
The expression “sitting duck” is a metaphor for someone or something that is vulnerable to attack or impending danger.
The expression perhaps has its roots in the duck-hunting culture. Imagine a duck sitting placidly in the waters of a lake or trench, oblivious to the aim of the encroaching hunter.
For duck hunters, a sitting duck is much easier to shoot and kill than a duck that is walking or flying.
A sitting duck then is a target with no defense or security from attack. We might say that a country without a capable military is a sitting duck for potential invaders. Someone who walks home late at night without protective measures, especially in a dangerous locality, might be referred to as a “sitting duck” for robbers.
Are you or someone you know a sitting duck? And if so, in what way?
Like our Facebook Page, English for CXC, for more.
