What is the difference between duke and earl?
duke | earl |
The male ruler of a duchy (compare duchess ).
A high title of nobility; the male holder of a dukedom.
A grand duke.
(slang, usually in plural) A fist.
To hit or beat with the fists.
* {{quote-book, 2003, John A. Dinan, Private Eyes in the Comics, isbn=159393002X, pageurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=7vvAzXjtBAcC&pg=PA65, page=65
, passage=It seems that PI Rainer was duked by his wife
A British nobleman next in rank above a viscount and below a marquess; equivalent to a European count. A female using the style is termed a countess.
Earl is a related term of duke.
Earl is a coordinate term of duke.
As nouns the difference between duke and earl
is that duke is the male ruler of a duchy (compare duchess) while earl is a British nobleman next in rank above a viscount and below a marquess; equivalent to a European count. A female using the style is termed a countess.As proper nouns the difference between duke and earl
is that duke is the title of a duke while Earl is the title of an earl.As a verb duke
is to hit or beat with the fists.duke
English
(wikipedia duke)Noun
(en noun)- Put up your dukes !
- This is thought to be derived from where Duke(s) of York = Fork. Fork is itself cockney slang for hand, and thus fist.