get one's ducks in a row

get one's ducks in a row (third-person singular simple present gets one's ducks in a row, present participle getting one's ducks in a row, simple past got one's ducks in a row, past participle (UK) got one's ducks in a row or (US) gotten one's ducks in a row)

1. Alternative form of have one's ducks in a row
   • 1979, John le Carré, Smiley's People, page 265:

     It was only ten-thirty but he wanted the time, he wanted to circle before he settled; time, as Enderby would say, to get his ducks in a row.

   • 1991, Winn Schwartau, Terminal Compromise‎:

     And he says, ‘we'll call you back soon, real soon, so get your ducks in a row’ and that scares the shit out of the corporate muckity-mucks.

   • 1996, Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club, published 2005, page 138:

     I'm to prepare for a formal review in two weeks. Reserve a conference room. Get all my ducks in a row. Update my résumé. That sort of thing.

   • 1997 October, Garrison Keillor, “Talk Radio”, in The Atlantic Monthly, volume 280, number 4, page 59:

     He told her to say he wasn't in the office if the dean should call and ask for him. "I'd like to get all my ducks in a row before I talk to him. Okay?"

   • 2007 October 24, David Brindle, “Johnson rules out an end to means testing”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:

     Owing to an apparent failure of Whitehall departments to get their ducks in a row, the planned unveiling of protocols on joint working was withdrawn from the speech at the last minute, leaving the minister nothing to announce.

   • 2013 July 15, Simon Hoggart, “Prince Charles's secretary tries to get Duchy tax ducks in a row”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:

     Prince Charles's secretary tries to get Duchy tax ducks in a row [title]