DUKE


Meaning of DUKE in English

■ noun

1》 a male holding the highest hereditary title in the British and certain other peerages.

2》 chiefly historical (in parts of Europe) a male ruler of a small independent state.

3》 ( ~s ) informal the fists.

Phrases

~ it out N. Amer. informal fight it out.

Derivatives

~dom noun

Origin

OE, from OFr. duc , from L. dux , duc- 'leader', related to ducere 'to lead'; sense 3 is from rhyming sl. Duke of Yorks 'forks' (= fingers).

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.