duke



dine with Duke Humphrey

To go without dinner. The phrase refers to the story of a man who, while visiting the tomb of Duke Humphrey of Gloucester, was locked in the abbey—and thus missed dinner. A: "Why are you so hungry? Didn't you eat dinner?" B: "No, I got stuck in a meeting, so I dined with Duke Humphrey!"
See also: dine, duke

duke it out

Sl. to have a fistfight. John told George to meet him in the alley so they could duke it out.
See also: duke, out

duke someone out

Sl. to knock someone out. Wilbur tried to duke the guy out first. Bob duked out the mugger with a jab to the cheek.
See also: duke, out

put up one's dukes

Fig. to be prepared to fight. He's telling you to put up your dukes. Put up your dukes and be a man!
See also: duke, put, up

duke it out

to compete against someone or something The airlines are duking it out, offering better service and cheaper fares as a way of attracting passengers.
Usage notes: often used in newspaper writing to describe competition between political candidates: Candidates are still duking it out in state primaries, with no one the clear winner yet.
Related vocabulary: fight it out
Etymology: based on the slang meaning of duke (to hit or fight someone with your hands)
See also: duke, out

dook

and duke (duk)
1. mod. really bad. (see also the entry for duke.) This day was really dook!
2. in. to defecate. Mom, I gotta dook.
3. to perform anal sex. (Offensive if understood.) The dude wanted to dook me!

duke

verb
See dook

duke

1. in. to empty one’s stomach; to vomit. (see also dukes.) She’s in the john, duking like a goat.
2. Go to dook.

duke it out

phr. to have a fistfight. John told George to meet him in the alley so they could duke it out.
See also: duke, out

duke someone out

tv. to knock someone out. (see also dukes.) Wilbur tried to duke the guy out first.
See also: duke, out

dukes

1. n. the fists. Okay, brother, put your dukes up.
2. n. the knees. He went down on his dukes and prayed for all sorts of good stuff.
See also: duke

Put up your dukes!

A challenge to fight. The “dukes” in question were fists, which the challenged party was asked to clench in preparation to trying to punch his opponent. But why “dukes?” The word comes from Cockney rhyming slang “Duke of York,” meaning “fork,” held at mealtimes by a clenched fist. Similarly, “duke it out” remains a general term for fighting.
See also: put, up

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Kwasi-Western African, Akan
LishaLISH-əEnglish
ShirleeSHUR-leeEnglish
Leslie['lezli]
Richardinerich-ər-DEENEnglish (Rare)
Oles-Ukrainian