(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. Compare royal duke.
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)
6.
Slang. to hit or thrash with the fists (sometimes fol. by out): He duked me because he said I had insulted him. The bully said he was going to duke out anyone who disagreed.
—Idiom
7.
duke it out, to fight, esp. with the fists; do battle: The adversaries were prepared to duke it out in the alley.
[Origin: 1100–50; ME duke, duc, late OE duc < OF duc, dus, dux < ML dux hereditary ruler of a small state, L: leader; see dux; dukes “fists” of unclear derivation and perh. of distinct orig.]
A nobleman with the highest hereditary rank, especially a man of the highest grade of the peerage in Great Britain.
A sovereign prince who rules an independent duchy in some European countries.
Abbr. D. or Du. Used as the title for such a nobleman.
Slang A fist. Often used in the plural: Put up your dukes!
Botany A type of cherry intermediate between a sweet and a sour cherry.
intr.v.
duked, duk·ing, dukes
To fight, especially with fists: duking it out.
[Middle English, from Old French duc, from Latin dux, duc-, leader, from dūcere, to lead; see deuk- in Indo-European roots. N., sense 4, short for Duke of Yorks, rhyming slang for forks, fingers.]
1129, from O.Fr. duc and L. dux (gen. ducis) "leader, commander," in L.L. "governor of a province," from ducere "to lead," from PIE *deuk- "to lead" (cf. O.E. togian "to pull, drag," O.H.G. ziohan "to pull," O.E. togian "to draw, drag"). Applied in Eng. to "nobleman of the highest rank" probably first c.1350, ousting native earl. Used to translate various European titles (e.g. Rus. knyaz).
Ab*duce"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abduced; p. pr. & vb. n. Abducing.] [L. abducere to lead away; ab + ducere to lead. See Duke, and cf. Abduct.] To draw or conduct away; to withdraw; to draw to a different part. [Obs.] If we abduce the eye unto either corner, the object will not duplicate. --Sir T. Browne.
Ad*duce"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Adduced; p. pr. & vb. n. Adducing.] [L. adducere, adductum, to lead or bring to; ad + ducere to lead. See Duke, and cf. Adduct.] To bring forward or offer, as an argument, passage, or consideration which bears on a statement or case; to cite; to allege. Reasons . . . were adduced on both sides. --Macaulay. Enough could not be adduced to satisfy the purpose of illustration. --De Quincey. Syn: To present; allege; advance; cite; quote; assign; urge; name; mention.
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