Definition of duck out

duck outphrasal verb

cúi xuống

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The expression "duck out" is a phrasal verb that means "to leave or depart quietly and quickly" in modern English. Its origins can be traced back to the 1840s, particularly in the theatre world. As the story goes, in earlier times, theatres had no designated areas for the exit of audience members. The only exits available were through the rear of the auditorium, as there were no aisles like in modern theatres. However, while performed, audiences might get restless or need to depart for any reason, causing chaos and disturbance in the theatre hall. To mitigate this problem, the actors on stage would initiate a scene or dialogue that would require their immediate exit, signalling the restless audience to also depart immediately without causing much fuss. The action of exiting the stage swiftly and quietly became known as "ducking out." The expression was picked up by the general population and became common parlance, meaning leaving quietly and unobtrusively, even in contemporary times.

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Example:
  • The actress ducked out of the premiere early, citing a family emergency.

    Nữ diễn viên đã bỏ lỡ buổi ra mắt sớm với lý do có việc khẩn cấp trong gia đình.

  • After finishing his shift, the waiter ducked out of the restaurant to avoid the rush hour traffic.

    Sau khi kết thúc ca làm việc, người phục vụ rời khỏi nhà hàng để tránh kẹt xe giờ cao điểm.

  • The students ducked out of the classroom during the exam to discuss the answers.

    Các học sinh rời khỏi lớp trong giờ thi để thảo luận về câu trả lời.

  • The politician ducked out of the press conference due to a sudden health concern.

    Chính trị gia này đã rời khỏi buổi họp báo vì lo ngại đột ngột về sức khỏe.

  • The salesperson ducked out of the sales meeting to take a phone call.

    Nhân viên bán hàng rời khỏi cuộc họp để nghe điện thoại.

  • The host ducked out of the party to check on his sick child.

    Người chủ tiệc rời khỏi bữa tiệc để kiểm tra đứa con bị ốm của mình.

  • The runner ducked out of the race due to an injury.

    Người chạy bộ đã phải bỏ cuộc vì bị thương.

  • The employee ducked out of the office to run a quick errand.

    Nhân viên đó vội vã rời khỏi văn phòng để chạy việc vặt.

  • The tourist ducked out of the museum to avoid getting lost.

    Du khách tránh ra khỏi bảo tàng để tránh bị lạc.

  • The ducks ducked out of the pond during the storm to seek shelter.

    Những chú vịt chui ra khỏi ao để tìm nơi trú ẩn trong cơn bão.

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