line up one's ducks

Meaning: (informal,idiomatic)Toorganizeone'saffairsso that one isreadytoactefficiently.1968, Henrietta Buckmaster,The lion in the stone: a novel, page340:"Senator Allen was one reason he made up his mind to go to Washington. He'd like to get some of the windbags out of our way andline up our ducks."1971, George R. Metcalf,Up from Within: Today's New Black Leaders, page230:On Saturday, August 1, the Commissionerlined up his ducksand summoned the owners to a conference the following day at 12:30 p.m. in his wood-paneled office on the twelfth floor at 410 Park Avenue.1972, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary,Richard G. Kleindienst[and]Louis Patrick Gray III, page1453:In other words, in the course of investigating the single contribution involving one company, Yellow Cab, they had discovered a whole chain involving other companies of C. Arnholt Smith and for that reason they wanted to get Thornton before he had time toline up his ducks.1992, B. J. Hoff,Land of a Thousand Dreams, page128:Horace hasn't yet learned toline up his ducksbefore he starts shooting.

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