The meaning of the idiom lame duck is when some person or thing turns out to be unsuccessful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lame-duck is a word used to describe a trader who has a history of defaulting on debt or going bankrupt due to an inability to cope with trading losses. The origins of this term can be traced back to the mid-eighteenth century when the London Stock Exchange was being established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is unknown how the term got popular among traders. Prior to the exchange being established in an official venue, traders operating out of coffee shops used the moniker. The word was first reported in bank documents and publications in the 1760s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n