have one's ducks in a row

verb

To be organized; to have one's affairs in order; specifically, to have a multiperson effort coordinated towards the exact same goal.

“Wouldn't it be nice to have our ducks in a row and not have to search for the papers every time we needed them?”

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Meanings

verbhave one's ducks in a row (third-person singular simple present has one's ducks in a row, present participle having one's ducks in a row, simple past and past participle had one's ducks in a row)

present singular third person has one's ducks in a row · participle present having one's ducks in a row · participle past had one's ducks in a row · past had one's ducks in a row · alternative get one's ducks in a row · alternative put one's ducks in a row

  1. idiomaticTo be organized; to have one's affairs in order; specifically, to have a multiperson effort coordinated towards the exact same goal.

    Wouldn't it be nice to have our ducks in a row and not have to search for the papers every time we needed them?

    1 more example

    "You didn't need us." The man standing next to the steps laughed. "The work was done before to-night. You had your ducks in a row all right."

    1911, Kate Langley Bosher, Miss Gibbie Gault

Origin

Perhaps from the image of ducklings following their mother in an orderly line. See also line up one's ducks.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

have one's ducks in a row. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20one's%20ducks%20in%20a%20row

MLA

“have one's ducks in a row.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20one's%20ducks%20in%20a%20row. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “have one's ducks in a row,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20one's%20ducks%20in%20a%20row.

Source: have one's ducks in a row on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.