lame duck

L

lame duck

Meaning

• a person or thing that is disabled, helpless, ineffective, or inefficient.
• somebody, especially an elected official.
• who cannot influence events any more.
• a person or company that is in trouble.
• someone who is in the last period of a term in an elective office and cannot run for reelection.
• a person or thing that isn’t properly able to function, especially one that was previously proficient.
• having lost a re-election bid.

Example Sentences

1. Knowing she would be a lame duck, the mayor decided to resign from office early and retire.
2. You can’t expect a lame-duck president to get much accomplished.
3. The best way to avoid being a lame duck in office is to not get elected for another term.
4. You can’t expect much from a lame duck.
5. As a lame duck, there’s not a lot I can do.
6. The President was a lame duck during the end of his second term.
7. What do you expect from a lame-duck mayor?

Origin

[1755–65].

This expression originated in the 1700s and then meant a stockbroker who did not meet his debts. It was transferred to officeholders in the 1860s.

The explanation of “lame duck” is frequently applied to politicians who are known to be in their closing term of office, when colleagues and electors look toward a successor. It is also sometimes used to explain officeholders who have lost an election but have not yet left office.

Duck, Political