Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun An elected officeholder or group continuing in office during the period between failure to win an election and the inauguration of a successor.
- noun An officeholder who has chosen not to run for reelection or is ineligible for reelection.
- noun An ineffective person; a weakling.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun colloquial A person or thing that is
helpless ,inefficient ordisabled . - noun US, politics An
elected official who has lost the recent election or is noteligible forreelection and ismarking time until leaving office.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun an elected official still in office but not slated to continue
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
18th century - A person who had defaulted in the London Stock Exchange was said to waddle out of Exchange Alley like a lame duck.
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Examples
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chained_bear commented on the word lame duck
See stuff on this list and on lame duckery.
January 12, 2009
skipvia commented on the word lame duck
As Alaskans, we're so proud that our ex-governor has given a whole new meaning to this term.
July 4, 2009
dontcry commented on the word lame duck
There's a lipstick-wearing duck joke in there somewhere...
July 4, 2009
chained_bear commented on the word lame duck
Yeah, who knew lame duck could mean "someone who's so lame, they won't even finish their term in office."
July 6, 2009
skipvia commented on the word lame duck
I'm going to start using the term lame schmuck.
July 7, 2009
skipvia commented on the word lame duck
I'm also fond of Bil Maher's term retarded flight attendant, although it's a slam on both cognitively challenged people and flight attendants.
July 7, 2009
reesetee commented on the word lame duck
Damn! There I was in Fairbanks, just a month before the governor's annual picnic! Skip, are you attending?
July 9, 2009
skipvia commented on the word lame duck
I might go just to watch her squirm.
July 9, 2009