DUKE
Etymology
From Old French duc, through Middle English duk, duke,
from Latin dux, ducis.
Displaced native Old English heretoga.
Was present as duc in late Old English,
from the same Latin source. Doublet of dux and doge.
The “fist” sense is thought to be Cockney rhyming slang where “Duke(s) of York” = fork.
Fork is itself cockney slang for hand, and thus fist.[1]
Noun
duke (plural dukes)
- The male ruler of a duchy (female equivalent: duchess).
- The sovereign of a small state.
- A high title of nobility; the male holder of a dukedom. coordinate terms ▲hypernyms ▼Coordinate terms: baron, count, countess, earl, marquis, marquess, viscount, prince, monarch
- A grand duke.
- Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the Asian genera Bassarona and Dophla.
- (slang, usually in the plural) A fist. quotations ▼
Put up your dukes!
Derived terms
- archduke
- dukedom
- duke it out
- Duke of Norfolk's Island
- Duke of York's Island
- Dukes County
- dukicide
- grand duke
- grand dukedom
- put up one's dukes