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lame duck

From Wiktionary

Word parts

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lame + duck

Pronunciation

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Noun

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Singular
lame duck

Plural
lame ducks

  1. (countable) (informal) A lame duck is a person who is handicapped or not efficient.
    The whole group wasted a lot of time only because of him. He's what I call a lame duck!
  2. (countable) (US) (politics) In the United States, a lame duck is a politician who holds an office now, but lost the recent election or is not eligible to hold the position anymore; they are called a lame duck because they have very little power in the last few months of their service.
    Being accused of corruption, this congressman has become a lame duck.