Dying duck in a thunderstorm

Origin of: Dying duck in a thunderstorm

Dying duck in a thunderstorm

Healthy, living ducks look miserable in the rain never mind dying ducks in a thunderstorm. To look like a dying duck in a thunderstorm is to look miserable and crestfallen, deriving from the way ducks behave and look in thundery weather. The simile in this form dates from the mid-19th century, but like a duck in thunder was in common use from the late 18th century.