duke
gb/dˈuk/ us/dˈuk/
B2
English
~ 5400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
male noble of high rank
A very important man in the noble class, just below a prince, often with a title like "the Duke of [place]".
Usage pattern:
the/a duke of [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'duke' can refer to a woman; the usual female form is 'duchess'. They may also confuse 'Duke' as a noble title with 'Duke' as part of a proper name (for example, a university or a person’s nickname).
Synonyms
nobleman (General term for a man of the nobility; does not specify rank.)
|
aristocrat (Focuses on belonging to the upper class, not on the specific title of duke.)
Antonyms
commoner (A person without a noble title, the social opposite of a duke.)
Collocations
the Duke of [York/Lancaster/etc.]
|hereditary duke
|Grand Duke
|a powerful duke
|a wealthy duke
|duke and duchess
Themes
society
|history
|politics
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The duke inherited the title when his father died.
- They were invited to a reception hosted by the Duke of Norfolk.
- In the story, a young duke falls in love with a farmer's daughter.
- Several dukes still sit in the upper house of the British Parliament.
- The castle once belonged to a powerful medieval duke.
Learner examples
- The duke lives in a large old house.
- We saw a photo of the Duke of Cambridge in the newspaper.
- In this movie, a duke wants to marry the queen.
- The duke and the duchess came to the party.
- A duke is a very high person in the royal family.
Noun
informal
C1
entity
2
slang word for fists
A slang word for your fists, usually used in the plural 'dukes' when talking about fighting.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s dukes
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that this sense is almost always used in the plural 'dukes' and is informal or humorous. It should not be used in serious or formal writing about violence.
Synonyms
fist (Neutral, everyday word; not informal or playful like 'dukes'.)
|
knuckles (Refers more specifically to the joints of the fingers, especially when used for hitting.)
Antonyms
open hand (Represents a non-threatening, non-fighting position, the opposite of clenched fists ready to fight.)
Collocations
put up your dukes
|raised his dukes
|with his dukes up
|swinging his dukes
Themes
violence
|slang
|sports
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He balled up his dukes, ready for a fight.
- The boxer came into the ring with his dukes up.
- Before you start swinging your dukes, maybe we should talk.
- The kids joked about settling their argument with their dukes.
- He kept his dukes down, showing he didn’t want any trouble.
Learner examples
- He put up his dukes and laughed.
- The man walked toward him with his dukes up.
- They were angry, but they did not use their dukes.
- He hit the punching bag with his dukes.
- I told him to relax and drop his dukes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
duke
IPA
GB/dˈuk/
US/dˈuk/
Syllables & stress
duke (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (duke)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: duke
- Plural: dukes
Word family
Forms
dukes
noun
Core family
duchess
noun B2
Related words
duchy
noun
Advanced or less common
ducal
adjective
dukedom
noun
Expressions
duke it out
1/dˈuk ˈɪt ˈaʊt/
idiom
informal
fight until there is a winner
To fight or compete strongly until there is a clear winner or a decision, either physically or in argument.
Examples
- The two candidates will duke it out in tonight's debate.
- Instead of going to court, the companies decided to duke it out in the marketplace.
- They finally duked it out over who should lead the project.
put up your dukes
1/pˈʊt ˈʌp jˈʊɹ dˈuks/
idiom
informal
prepare to fight with fists
To raise your fists because you are ready to fight someone.
Examples
- "Put up your dukes!" shouted the boy, joking with his friend.
- He put up his dukes when the other man came closer.
- In old movies, you often hear tough guys say, "Put up your dukes" before a fight.