ducks and drakes | Idiomator

Meaning: Apastimeof throwingflatstones across water so as to make thembounceoff thesurface.Synonyms:stone skipping,stone skimming,stone skiffing,drakestoning1585,The nomenclator, or remembrancer of Adrianus Junius,John Higgins:A kind of sport or play with an oister shell or stone throwne into the water, and making circles yer it sinke, etc. It is called a ducke and a drake, and a halfe-penie cake.[1]1913,D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “chapter 7”, inSons and Lovers, London:Duckworth & Co.[…],→OCLC:They sat on a pebbly bank. Suddenly he caught sight of a nice flat stone, and, jumping up, began to makeducks and drakeson the water.; (idiomatic,informal)Thesquanderingof resources, especiallymoney; used in expressions such as "tomakeducks and drakes of", "toplay(at) ducks and drakes with".Synonyms:squandering,wasting1614, James Cooke,Tu Quoque:This royal Caesar doth regard no cash; Has thrown away as much inducks and drakesAs would have bought some 50,000 capons.1848November –1850December,William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 59, inThe History of Pendennis.[…], volume(please specify |volume=I or II), London:Bradbury and Evans,[…], published1849–1850,→OCLC:Pendennis’s uncle, the Major, seldom does anything without me; and as he is likely to be extravagant we’ve tied up the property, so that he can’t makeducks and drakeswith it.1849May –1850November,Charles Dickens,The Personal History of David Copperfield, London:Bradbury & Evans,[…], published1850,→OCLC:He soon madeducks and drakesof what I gave him, sank lower and lower, married another woman, I believe, became an adventurer, a gambler, and a cheat.

Examples:

EN: I'll not allow the Bank to play ducks and drakes with its money.
ES: No permitiré que el banco se ponga a jugar el dinero.
EN: They won't be ducks and drakes because the government will be at your back.
ES: Ellos no se pondrán a jugar porque el gobierno los respaldará
EN: But Captain Shattuck is playing ducks and drakes with this court again.
ES: Pero el Capitán quiere engañar... otra vez a este consejo.
EN: I shall be juggling with your life. I shall be playing ducks and drakes- with your very existence.
ES: Se debatirá entre la vida y la muerte, su existencia estará en juego.
EN: A very pretty income to make ducks and drakes with.
ES: Una renta muy mona para tirar piedras al agua.
EN: They were ducks and drakes.
HI: स्नैक्स और ड्रिंक्स थे।
EN: ducks and drakes with the personal effects of free-born American
TE: ది పిల్గ్రిమ్స్ అండ్ పోకాహాంటాస్ః ప్రత్యర్థి అపోహలు అమెరికన్ ఆరిజిన్

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