English

Verb

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

1. To fight, especially with the fists.

   A large crowd came to watch the boxers duke it out.

2. (idiomatic) To argue heavily or at length.

   The candidates duked it out on the proposal for hours.

   • 2007, New York Times 29 January

     Like pharmaceutical companies that sue generic drug makers over their patents or technology companies that duke it out over who owns the right to microchip designs, Levi’s says it is trying to protect its most valuable asset, its trademarks.

Derived terms

• duke out

See also

• put up one's dukes