Unless you have a trail of pet ducklings to lead to the lake, or you’re a French chef prepping for a busy dinner service, you probably won’t have many opportunities to literally “get your ducks in a row.” This figurative phrase dates to the 19th century and is most likely of North American origin. Why it became so popular is the biggest question, and one with an uncertain answer.
What we do know is that the idiom “getting your ducks in a row” means preparing for an anticipated event. This could include laying out your clothes the night before starting a new job, prepping the snacks and beverages before hosting a big house party, or scheduling a taxi to the airport. Essentially, lining up your figurative ducks means minimizing the risk of future complications when it’s time to act.
The etymological origins of these ducks are murky. One of the earliest examples of the phrase is from the November 15, 1889, edition of The Plaindealer newspaper in Detroit, Michigan: “In the meantime the Democrats are getting their ducks in a row, and their ticket is promised to be very strong.” Here, the expression is used plainly as if it would be widely understood, but it lacks an explanation.
Perhaps it was expected to be understood because duck hunting (and lining up the bounty of the hunt) was a popular practice at that time. Another theory ties it to the classic duck-shooting carnival game; however, the game’s origins are unclear, making it difficult to know if it predated the phrase. Others attribute the idiom to duckpin bowling, in which players line up ducks (pins) to knock them down with the ball. But that game didn’t become popular until the early 20th century, years after the phrase was used in that 1889 newspaper.
While there are theories behind this curious turn of phrase, the origin may remain a largely unanswered question. We assure you that no ducks were harmed in the making of this article.
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