ˈcoy-duck
Also 7 quoy-.
[f. coy n.1 + duck: cf. Du. kooieend.]
1. A duck trained to entice wild-fowl in a decoy; = decoy-duck.
| 1621–51 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. ii. iv. 268 Fowling..with lime, nets, glades..coy-ducks. a 1625 Boys Wks. (1630) 389 To bring game to his snare by a stale or quoy duck. 1644 K. Digby Nat. Bodies xxxvii. (1658) 393 Coyducks are beaten and whipped to what they are taught, like setting dogs. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Coy-duck, a duck trained to entice others into the tunnel in a decoy. 1877 in E. Peacock N.W. Linc. Gloss. |
2. transf. A person who entices others, one who leads the way.
| 1654 in Dorothy Osborne's Lett. (1889) 287 A couple of coy-ducks drew in the rest. 1661 Sir H. Vane's Politicks 8 Niether the diving-brain of the Protectour..nor his coy-duck Thurloe. 1888 W. Somerset Word-bk., Coy-duck, an enticer, a snare. A very common name for pretty barmaids. |
Hence ˈcoy-duck v. dial., to entice.
| 1888 W. Somerset Word-bk. s.v., ‘They'll coy-duck 'em away’. 1891 Longm. Mag. Nov. 83 (Kentish woman says) ‘'Tis the other chaps as coyduckses him away’. |