a dead duck

基本解释

He tried to speak, lifted a hand, and let it drop like a dead duck .
他想说点什么，举起一只手，却又把它象只死鸭子似地垂下来。
The vet looked at the woman and said, "I'm sorry, but as I said, this is most definitely, 100% certifiably, a dead duck."
兽医看着女士说，“对不起，像我说的一样，的的确确，百分之百可以开证明的，一个死鸭子。”
blog.sina.com.cn
The President's proposal looks like a dead duck -- some congressmen in his own party are against it, so I'm afraid he won't get enough votes to get it passed through the Congress.
这人说："总统的提案看来是没有希望了，连他自己党内的议员都反对，所以他恐怕不能获得足够的票数使得这一提案在国会通过。"

But the momentum of WiMax means 802.20 could be a dead duck, says Zvi Slonimsky of Alvarion, the leading maker of fixed-wireless gear and a strong backer of WiMax.
ECONOMIST: Wireless telecoms
In short, the empire now proclaimed in America's name is at best a dull duck, at worst a dead duck, unless it is to be a big strong drake that intends to throw its weight around for quite a while.
ECONOMIST: America and empire