duke
duke — noun
1. a man who belongs to the highest social class of nobility in some countries and
a man who belongs to the highest social class of nobility in some countries and who, in parts of Europe in earlier times, governed a small independent territory
The duke visited the village school and spoke with each teacher.
Sumin's grandfather once worked as a gardener for a duke in England.
The duke of Cambridge travelled to Asia to meet with local leaders.
After the ceremony, the duke shook hands with everyone in the room.
A duke in that region used to collect taxes from nearby towns.
文法句型
duke + of + place
用法筆記
The full title of a duke usually includes the name of a place, for example 'the Duke of York'. The wife of a duke is called a duchess.
常見錯誤
duke — verb
1. to fight using closed hands, especially when both people involved are determined
to fight using closed hands, especially when both people involved are determined to keep hitting each other
Two strangers started to duke it out outside the bar last night.
The hockey players duked it out on the ice while the crowd cheered.
informal fixed phrase: duke it out
Rachid warned the boys not to duke it out over a small argument.
As kids, Andrés and his cousin used to duke it out in the backyard.
The two gangs duked it out in the park until the police arrived.
- make up
to end a disagreement peacefully
文法句型
duke it out
用法筆記
Always used as the fixed phrase 'duke it out'. The verb 'duke' does not appear in other structures. The past tense is 'duked it out'. Common in informal spoken English, movies, and sports commentary.
常見錯誤
2. to try hard to win against an opponent through competition or debate, especially
to try hard to win against an opponent through competition or debate, especially to decide who is stronger, better, or correct
Three companies duked it out for the contract to build the new bridge.
The lawyers duked it out in court for hours over who owned the land.
figurative use: duke it out in court
Élise and Tanvi duked it out in the final round of the spelling contest.
The two presidential candidates duked it out during a live TV debate.
- compete
neutral register, more general; does not carry the informal tone
- go head to head
informal; emphasizes direct confrontation
- battle it out
similar register and structure; interchangeable in most contexts
- cooperate
to work together instead of competing
文法句型
duke it out
duke it out for [prize/position]
用法筆記
This is a figurative extension of the physical-fighting sense (verb sense 1). Unlike the physical 'duke it out', this sense is used in business, politics, law, and sports without implying any actual violence.