lame duck

Meaning

Noun

A person or thing that is helpless, inefficient or disabled.
An elected official who has lost the recent election or is not eligible for reelection and is [[mark time
A person who cannot fulfill their contracts.

Origin

18th century: a person who had defaulted in the London Stock Exchange was said to waddle out of Exchange Alley like a lame duck. Equivalent to lame + duck.

Modern English dictionary

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