duke

n. a man of very high social rank, just below a prince.

n. the highest rank of the peerage in several European countries, often holding a title associated with a specific territory or duchy.

“The Duke of Wellington led the army to victory at the battle.”

“The Duke inherited a vast estate in the countryside, along with several historic titles that had been in his family for centuries.”

n. your hands when they are closed tightly, usually used when talking about fighting.

n. a person's fists; almost exclusively used in the plural form within the idiom 'put up your dukes'.

“The two men put up their dukes and prepared to fight in the street.”

“He told the bully to put up his dukes, though it was clear he had never actually been in a physical confrontation before.”

Informal · Slang

v. to fight with your fists, especially in the phrase 'duke it out'.

v. to engage in a physical or verbal fight; typically used in the phrasal verb 'duke it out'.

“The two politicians decided to duke it out during the live television debate.”

“Rather than taking the matter to court, the two companies decided to duke it out in the marketplace through aggressive advertising campaigns.”

Informal · American English