dine with Duke Humphrey

To go without dinner. The phrase refers to the story of a man who, while visiting the tomb of Duke Humphrey of Gloucester, was locked in the abbey—and thus missed dinner. A: "Why are you so hungry? Didn't you eat dinner?" B: "No, I got stuck in a meeting, so I dined with Duke Humphrey!" Dinner is going to be at 6:00 sharp, so if you're not here by then, you can dine with Duke Humphrey! Mom is sick, so if we have to cook something ourselves—otherwise, we'll dine with Duke Humphrey.

dook

1. verb, slang To defecate You've been dooking in that toilet for nearly half an hour. Everything all right in there? How are we going to get this cat to dook in the litter box? I nearly dooked in my pants from fright!

2. noun, slang Feces. Be right back, I gotta go take a dook. You better pick up this dog dook before someone comes along and steps in it. He's gotta be taking a dook—he's been in the bathroom forever!

duke it out

1. To physically fight someone. Watch out, there's two guys duking it out in the back of the bar! I duked it out with some guy last night and earned myself a black eye for my troubles. Don't pay any attention to Ralph—when he's been drinking, he wants to duke it out with anyone who disagrees with him.

2. To contend with someone or something for something. In such a big family, my siblings and I always have to duke it out for our parents' attention. A: "If you're putting in for that promotion, it sounds like you'll have to duke it out with George." B: "Ugh, and everyone knows he's the boss's favorite." It's a shame that so many departments have to duke it out over a very limited amount of funding.

See also: duke, out

duke out

slang To strike someone and cause unconsciousness. A noun or pronoun can be used between "duke" and "out." I bet a lot of money on that boxer, so I hope his opponent doesn't duke him out. Would you shut up, you idiot? If you keep insulting that guy's wife, he's gonna duke you out! If I hadn't ducked right when that thug took a swing at me, he would have duked me out for sure.

See also: duke, out

dukes

slang Fists. I put up my dukes, expecting him to strike me at any moment. I ain't gonna let nobody insult my good character—come on and put up your dukes! Though I had put up my dukes, I didn't need to throw a single punch—the big oaf tripped, fell, and knocked himself out all on his own.

put up (one's) dukes

old-fashioned To raise one's fists in preparation for a fight. Often said as a command. I put up my dukes, expecting him to strike me at any moment. I ain't gonna let nobody insult my good character—come on and put up your dukes!

duke it out

Sl. to have a fistfight. John told George to meet him in the alley so they could duke it out.

See also: duke, out

duke someone out

Sl. to knock someone out. Wilbur tried to duke the guy out first. Bob duked out the mugger with a jab to the cheek.

See also: duke, out

put up one's dukes

Fig. to be prepared to fight. He's telling you to put up your dukes. Put up your dukes and be a man!

duke it out

fight it out. North American informal

Dukes or dooks are ‘fists’, especially when raised in a fighting position. The word comes from rhyming slang Duke of Yorks, ‘forks’ (i.e. fingers).

See also: duke, out

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

dook

and duke (duk)

1. mod. really bad. (see also the entry for duke.) This day was really dook!

2. in. to defecate. Mom, I gotta dook.

3. to perform anal sex. (Offensive if understood.) The dude wanted to dook me!

duke

verb

See dook

duke

1. in. to empty one’s stomach; to vomit. (see also dukes.) She’s in the john, duking like a goat.

2. Go to dook.

duke it out

phr. to have a fistfight. John told George to meet him in the alley so they could duke it out.

See also: duke, out

duke someone out

tv. to knock someone out. (see also dukes.) Wilbur tried to duke the guy out first.

dukes

1. n. the fists. Okay, brother, put your dukes up.

2. n. the knees. He went down on his dukes and prayed for all sorts of good stuff.

Put up your dukes!

A challenge to fight. The “dukes” in question were fists, which the challenged party was asked to clench in preparation to trying to punch his opponent. But why “dukes?” The word comes from Cockney rhyming slang “Duke of York,” meaning “fork,” held at mealtimes by a clenched fist. Similarly, “duke it out” remains a general term for fighting.