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. Slang.,  dukes, fists; hands.

   Put up your dukes.

verb (used with object)

duked, duking 

1. Slang.,  to hit or thrash with the fists (sometimes followed byout ): 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.

Example Sentences

The duke was sent to Germany to cool his ardour, but the imposed distance failed to quench the flame.

From BBC

After the duke and duchess had quit the UK, the committee carried out some threat risk assessments and then committed to decide on the duke's security at home on a case-by-case basis.

From BBC

Because whatever anyone feels about the duke, he raises interesting questions for the public to ponder.

From BBC

He continued: "But I concluded having studied the detailed documents I could not say the duke's sense of grievance translated into a legal argument for a challenge to Ravec's decision."

From BBC

A lawyer for Mr Barrowman said he "at no time... had any business or personal involvement with the duke".

From BBC

Related Words

• czar 
• emperor 
• king 
• monarch 
• shah 
• sultan