duke

Noun (1)

duke (plural dukes)

1. The male ruler of a duchy (female equivalent: duchess).
2. The sovereign of a small state.
3. A high title of nobility; the male holder of a dukedom.
4. A grand duke.
5. Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the Asian genera Bassarona and Dophla.
6. (plural-normally, slang) A fist.
   • Put up your dukes!
   • “Your friend sure knows how to use his dukes. Biff, bang! One, two, and the copʼs on his ass!”1952, Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, Penguin Books (2014), page 438

Verb

duke (third-person singular simple present dukes, present participle duking, simple past and past participle duked)

1. (informal, transitive) To hit or beat with the fists.
   • It seems that PI Rainer was duked by his wife […].2003, John A. Dinan, Private Eyes in the Comics, →ISBN, page 65
2. (slang, transitive) To give cash to; to give a tip to.
   • I duked him twenty dollars.

   Synonyms:

   tip

3. To perform the duties of, or rule over as, a duke.

Noun (2) capitalized: Duke

IPA/duːk/

Duke (plural Dukes)

1. The title of a duke.
   • Percy’s military career began in France under Dukes Henry and John of Lancaster; […]2001, John Cannon, editor, A Dictionary of British History, Oxford University Press, published 2004, →ISBN

Proper noun capitalized: Duke

IPA/duːk/

Duke (countable and uncountable, plural Dukes)

1. (countable) A male given name from English; mostly US and rather rare.
2. (countable) A surname originating as an occupation for service in the household of a duke, or from a nickname.
3. (informal) A male nickname.
   1. (informal, usually) The American actor John Wayne.
      • "Whoa there, pardner," Kiril said in his best Duke impression, and grabbed hold of the armrest to keep from rolling into Fyodor's lap.2000, Dana Stabenow, Midnight Come Again, →ISBN, page 4
4. (abbreviation, ellipsis, informal) Ellipsis of Duke University, a private university in Durham, North Carolina, USA.
5. An unincorporated community in Phelps County, Missouri, United States.
6. A township in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States.