
ProverbWisdom
American origin1946
If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's probably a duck
Meaning: When multiple observable qualities align, trust the evidence rather than disputing the apparent nature of something.
Origin: The "duck test," a form of reasoning from obvious evidence. The poet James Whitcomb Riley may have coined an early version, and a union leader, Emil Mazey, used it in 1946. The U.S. ambassador to Guatemala, Richard Cunningham Patterson Jr., popularized it in 1950 when accusing that country's government of communism.
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- To go cold turkey To quit a habit abruptly and completely.
- To cut the mustard To meet the required standard; to succeed.
- To chew the fat To chat idly and at length.
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