quack

== English == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kwæk/ Rhymes: -æk === Etymology 1 === From Middle English *quacken, queken (“to croak like a frog; make a noise like a duck, goose, or quail”), from quack, qwacke, quek, queke (“quack”, interjection and noun), also kek, keke, whec-, partly of imitative origin and partly from Middle Dutch quacken (“to croak, quack”), from Old Dutch *kwaken (“to croak, quack”), from Proto-West Germanic *kwakōn, from Proto-Germanic *kwakaną, *kwakōną (“to croak”), of imitative origin. Cognate with Saterland Frisian kwoakje, kwaakje (“to quack”), Middle Low German quaken (“to quack, croak”), German quaken (“to quack, croak”), Danish kvække (“to croak”), Swedish kväka (“to croak, quackle”), Norwegian kvekke (“to croak”), Icelandic kvaka (“to twitter, chirp, quack”). ==== Alternative forms ==== quaake (obsolete) ==== Noun ==== quack (plural quacks) The vocalisation made by a duck. ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== quack (third-person singular simple present quacks, present participle quacking, simple past and past participle quacked) Of a duck, to make its characteristic vocalisation. To make a sound similar to the quack of a duck. (intransitive) Of a queen bee: to make a high-pitched sound during certain stages of development. Coordinate terms: toot, pipe ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Interjection ==== quack A duck's quack. ===== Translations ===== ==== References ==== === Etymology 2 === Clipping of quacksalver (see there for more), of Dutch origin; ultimately related to Etymology 1 above. ==== Noun ==== quack (plural quacks) (derogatory) A fraudulent healer, especially a bombastic peddler in worthless treatments, a doctor who makes false diagnoses for monetary benefit, or an untrained or poorly trained doctor who uses fraudulent credentials to attract patients [from c. 1630] 1662, Rump: or an Exact Collection of the Choycest Poems and Songs Relating to Late Times, Vol. II, by ‘the most Eminent Wits’ Tis hard to say, how much these Arse-wormes do urge us, We now need no Quack but these Jacks for to purge us, [...] 1981, S.O.B. (film): Polly (to security guard, referring to Dr. Feingarten): Are you going to let that shyster in there? Dr. Feingarten: I could sue you, Polly. A shyster is a disreputable lawyer. I'm a quack. (figuratively, derogatory) Any similar charlatan or incompetent professional. (humorous slang, mildly derogatory) Any doctor. ===== Synonyms ===== snake-oil salesman; medicaster, quacksalver, pharmacopole (archaic) ===== Hypernyms ===== See Thesaurus:deceiver, Thesaurus:physician, and pharmacist ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== quack (third-person singular simple present quacks, present participle quacking, simple past and past participle quacked) To practice or commit quackery (fraudulent medicine). (obsolete) To make vain and loud pretensions. Synonym: boast ===== Translations ===== ==== Adjective ==== quack (comparative more quack or quacker, superlative most quack or quackest) (quacker and quackest are rare, and probably used humorously) Falsely presented as having medicinal powers. ===== Translations ===== === Further reading === quack (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia quackery on Wikipedia.Wikipedia