1
general::
Phrase(s): a dead duck
Fig. someone or something that is certain to die or fail. • If I fail that test, I’m a dead duck. • When the outlaw drew his pistol, the sheriff knew he was a dead duck.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
1. A person doomed to failure or death; a hopeless case. For example, If they can't find a heart to transplant soon, he's a dead duck. [1940s] 2. A useless, worthless, or outmoded person or thing. For example, They didn't interview the outgoing senator; to the press he's a dead duck. Some speculate that this slangy term comes from an old saying, "Never waste powder on a dead duck," first recorded in 1829.
American Heritage Idioms