英 [ˌleɪm ˈdʌk] 美 [ˌleɪm ˈdʌk]
无能为力的人或事物：指一个不成功的人或事物。
即将离任的官员：指一个被选举的官员，由于接替他们的人已经当选，他们的权力被削弱。
lame duck //
可数名词 If you refer to a politician or a government as a lame duck, you mean that they have little real power, for example, because their period of office is coming to an end. (由于任期将满等原因而)无实权的官员或政府
...a lame duck government.
...一个即将届满卸任的无实权政府。
可数名词 If you describe someone or something as a lame duck, you are critical of them because they are not successful and need to be helped a lot. 不中用的人或物; 废物
...lame-duck industries.
...前景黯淡的行业。
an elected official still in office but not slated to continue
跛脚鸭
... wild duckn.野鸭 lame duckn.投机者;无用的人 mandarin duck[鸟]鸳鸯 ...
投机者；无用的人
The bird continued flying and saw a lame duck help a little duck find the way back home.
小鸟继续飞，看到一只跛鸭在帮助一只小鸭子找回家的路。
The bird continued flying and saw a lame duck help a little duck who got lost to find the way back home.
小鸟继续飞着，看到一只跛足的鸭子帮助了一只迷路的小鸭子找回家的路。
The lame duck wasn't happy because it had to help others.
跛脚鸭不高兴，因为它必须帮助别人。
Congress holds a lame duck session after an election.
VOA : special.2010.06.13
Mr.Calderon's term in office ends in two years. Some analysts see him as a "lame duck" president with a keen interest in support from Washington.
VOA : standard.2010.05.17
Now, we did that in December during the lame duck on the tax cut issue.
WHITEHOUSE: Presidential Press Conference on the 2012 Budget
The phrase "lame duck" itself came into use in the U.S. Congress in the early 1800s.
There is now a lame duck government in Portugal, with elections expected within three months.