Play ducks and drakes

Definitions

to waste money or resources
To spend money or resources recklessly or carelessly, without considering the consequences
to act recklessly
To behave in a careless or irresponsible manner, without thinking about the potential negative outcomes

Examples of Play ducks and drakes

The children spent hours tossing pebbles into the pond, laughing as the ripples spread and dissipated. "They're playing ducks and drakes," the mother observed, smiling as she watched them.

"Playing ducks and drakes" is an idiom that refers to a childhood game that involves throwing small objects into the water and watching as the ripples form the shape of duck and dragon feet. The expression originated in the 16th century, when the game was popular in England. Today, "playing ducks and drakes" is used figuratively to describe a carefree or aimless activity. In the example above, the children are enjoying a leisurely game on a sunny afternoon, without any serious intention. Their mother approves of their innocent amusement, and compares it to the traditional pastime of playing ducks and drakes.
He's been playing ducks and drakes with our finances for months.

This idiom means that someone is recklessly or carelessly managing money, as if they were throwing pebbles into a pond to make ducks and drakes (i.e., splashes) without any concern for the outcome.
Her flirtatious behavior is playing ducks and drakes with my emotions.

This idiom can also be used metaphorically to describe someone's actions that are creating uncertainty or ambiguity in a situation, leaving the other person uncertain how to respond, and creating emotional turmoil.
My boss seems to be playing ducks and drakes with our project deadlines.

This idiom can also be used to describe someone's behavior when they are unpredictable or inconsistent in their decision-making, causing confusion and uncertainty among those affected.
The stock market has been playing ducks and drakes for the past month.

This idiom can also be used to describe a chaotic or unstable situation where there is a lot of fluctuation or uncertainty, as if the outcomes are random and uncontrollable.
The children played ducks and drakes in the pond, splashing around without any real purpose.

"Playing ducks and drakes" is an idiom that means to engage in an activity without any practical purpose. It comes from the game of the same name, which involves throwing a stone into a body of water and watching as it creates ripples that resemble ducks and drakes (drakes being male ducks). In the example, the children were simply enjoying themselves in the pond, creating splashes and having fun, without any real objective or benefit.
My friend suggested we take a different route to work today, just to play ducks and drakes with our usual routine.

This example shows how "playing ducks and drakes" can be used in a more metaphorical way. Here, it means to do something out of the ordinary, simply for the sake of doing something different. The friends are proposing to change their regular commute to work, not because it will be more practical or efficient, but just for the novelty and to mix things up a bit.
The politician proposed a radical new policy as a way to play ducks and drakes with his opponents, distracting them from more pressing issues.

In this example, "playing ducks and drakes" is being used to describe an attempt to divert attention away from something more important or urgent. The politician is suggesting a new policy purely as a way to distract his opponents and deflect criticism from other, more critical matters.

Conclusion

The idiom "play ducks and drakes" is used to convey the idea of wasting money or resources, or acting recklessly without considering the consequences. It is often used to caution against engaging in such behavior and to advise for more responsible actions.

Origin of "Play ducks and drakes"

The origin of the idiom "play ducks and drakes" can be traced back to the game of skipping stones on water, which is also known as "ducks and drakes." In this game, the player throws a flat stone across the surface of a body of water in such a way that it bounces multiple times before sinking. The term "ducks and drakes" is believed to have been derived from the Old English word "drake," which means dragon or serpent. The game was named after the way the stone skips across the water, resembling the movement of a dragon or serpent.

Over time, the idiom "play ducks and drakes" came to be associated with the reckless or careless behavior exhibited in the game, and it began to be used figuratively to describe similar behavior in other contexts. The idiom is now commonly used to caution against wasting money or resources, or behaving in a reckless manner.