deuce
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a score in tennis where both players have 40 points and one must win two points in a row to win the game.
a tie in a tennis game where both players have scored three points (40-40), requiring one player to score two consecutive points to win.
Simple“The game went to deuce three times before she finally won the set.”
In context“After a grueling ten-minute rally, the score returned to deuce, prolonging an already exhausting final set.”
UsageUsed as an uncountable noun in this context.
Synonymstieforty all - 02 C1 Advanced
a playing card with the number two on it, or a side of a die with two spots.
a playing card or a face of a die featuring two pips or spots.
Simple“He was disappointed to draw a deuce of clubs when he needed an ace.”
In context“In many variations of poker, the deuce is considered the lowest card unless designated as a wild card.”
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
a mild way to say 'the devil' when you are annoyed or surprised.
a euphemistic term for the devil, typically employed in exclamatory phrases to express frustration or emphasis.
Simple“Where the deuce did I leave my car keys?”
In context“He wondered what the deuce was going on in the office after seeing the lights on at midnight.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is mostly found in older British literature; modern speakers use it rarely, often for a humorous or old-fashioned effect.
- 04 C1 Advanced
a hand gesture where you hold up two fingers in a V-shape.
a hand gesture involving the extension of the index and middle fingers, commonly representing peace or the number two.
Simple“He threw up a deuce to his friends as he drove away.”
In context“The rapper flashed a deuce to the cameras before disappearing into the VIP lounge.”
Synonymspeace signv sign
From Middle English dewes (“two”), from Anglo-Norman, from Old French deus, from Latin duo. The word was used by Ford Motor Co. in 1932 to describe a two-seater car model.
Compare Late Latin dusius (“phantom, specter”); Scottish Gaelic taibhs, taibhse (“apparition, ghost”); or from Old French deus (“God”), from Latin deus (compare deity).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.