duke

¹

[ dook, dyook ]

noun

1. (in Continental Europe) the male ruler of a duchy; the sovereign of a small state.
2. a British nobleman holding the highest hereditary title outside the royal family, ranking immediately below a prince and above a marquis; a member of the highest rank of the British peerage.
3. a nobleman of corresponding rank in certain other countries.
4. a cultivated hybrid of the sweet and sour cherry.
5. dukes, Slang. fists; hands:

   Put up your dukes.

verb (used with object)

, duked, duk·ing.

1. Slang. to hit or thrash with the fists (sometimes followed by out ): The bully said he was going to duke out anyone who disagreed.

   He duked me because he said I had insulted him.

   The bully said he was going to duke out anyone who disagreed.

Duke

²

[ dook, dyook ]

noun

1. Benjamin Newton, 1855–1929, and his brother, James Buchanan, 1856–1925, U.S. industrialists.
2. a male given name.

duke

/ djuːk /

noun

1. a nobleman of high rank: in the British Isles standing above the other grades of the nobility
2. the prince or ruler of a small principality or duchy

Word History and Origins

Origin of duke¹

First recorded in 1100–50; Middle English duke, duc, late Old English duc, from Old French duc, dus, dux, from Medieval Latin dux “hereditary ruler of a small state,” Latin: “leader”; dux; duke def 5 dukes (in the sense “fists”) of unclear derivation and perhaps of distinct origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of duke¹

C12: from Old French duc, from Latin dux leader

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. duke it out, to fight, especially with the fists; do battle:

   The adversaries were prepared to duke it out in the alley.

Related Words

• slug