An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Duckmäuser

by Friedrich Kluge

Duckmäuser, ‘sly, stealthy person,’ appears in MidHG. as tockelmûser, ‘sneak, hypocrite’; the ModHG. form is based anew on ducken, MidHG. tucken. A parallel form Tückmäuser is based on Tücke, ‘malice,’ the second part of the compound being connected with MidHG. mûsen, prop. ‘to catch mice,’ then (with thievish intent), ‘to sneak.’