Wordinistas! Check out A Way With Words, public radio's call-in show about language.
Dictionary definition of “duckshove”

duckshove

v. to disclaim responsibility or to blame others; to pass the buck. Subjects: , , ,
Editorial Note: The Macquarie Dictionary has additional meanings: “1. to use unfair methods; to be unscrupulous in dealings. 2. (of a taxi driver) to solicit passengers along the roadside, rather than waiting in turn at a rank.” The Australian National Dictionary has an earliest citation of 1870 for “to act unethically” and a 1942 earliest citation for “to evade responsibilities.”
Citations: 1985 Anthony Hill Australian Financial Review (Feb. 28) “Myths And Furphies Abound On Indirect Tax” p. 4: But Opposition spokesman, Mr Roger Shipton, accused Mr Holding of “duckshoving” and said the response would create more tensions and divisions in Australia. 1993 [Terry Bowden] @ N.Z. Usenet: k12.ed.life-skills (Dec. 17) “School Logo”: It will be toppled by your well meaning but hopelessly misguided eviscerators! It’s time to call a spade a spade again, and stop duck-shoving. 2004 Jane Clifton Stuff (New Zealand) (Dec. 8) “MPs at their shameful best”: Alas, they would have understood only too well Steve Maharey’s comeback when Bill English again harassed him about embarrassing goings-on at Christchurch Polytechnic. After more duckshoving by the minister about whether illicitly extracted taxpayers’ money would be repaid, Mr English asked: “When will he stop giving the impression of a chihuahua savaging a wet lettuce leaf?”
Reader comments:
Anecdotally (ie, in my experience, in Australia) “duckshoving” tends to be used in Union contexts, and by extension by Labor politicians.
by Jonathan 09 Dec 04, 1201 GMT

Leave a comment (must be approved by the moderator before it will appear).

Name (mandatory):

Email (mandatory):

Location (optional):

Your Web Site (optional):

Remember my personal information

Notify me, by email, of follow-up comments.

Recent Catchwords
mill and fill n. (7/3)
snake run n. (7/2)
tranny n. (7/1)
secular adj. (6/30)
commuter trip n. (6/30)
wendy v. (6/30)
double-dekker n. (6/30)
gas-sipper n. (6/29)
nuke the fridge v. phr. (6/29)
mannyhose n. (6/29)
run one’s pockets v. phr. (6/29)
gay-lister n. (6/29)
cross-shopping n. (6/29)
weird stacking n. (6/29)
block busting n. (6/27)
beek n. (6/27)
sweatbox n. (6/26)
bump-out n. (6/26)
 More catchwords...
New Comments
Debra Ellick commented on hurricane amnesia (7/3)
tina commented on tranny (7/3)
Grant Barrett commented on tranny (7/3)
Tina commented on tranny (7/2)
Ben Zimmer commented on secular (7/1)
Alice Macpherson commented on sad (7/1)
Kerri-ann commented on candy flipping (7/1)
Rich Overton commented on smitty (6/30)
Prozacville.co.uk commented on Ja well no fine (6/30)
jim commented on robotripping (6/30)
JIm commented on robotripping (6/29)
Charles Miller commented on robotripping (6/29)
JIM commented on robotripping (6/28)
Ben Zimmer commented on block busting (6/28)
Larisa Gall commented on pencil plane (6/26)
Subscribe to the RSS feed.Subscribe to the mailing list.Browse the archive.Add to Technorati Favorites. © 1999-2008 by Grant Barrett, Double-Tongued Dictionary, New York City.