duke up

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To dress up; to embellish or improve (something).

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

I need to duke you up for the party tonight.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To square up; to get one's fists ready for a fistfight.

Register: slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “duke up” mean?

To dress up; to embellish or improve (something).

Is “duke up” formal or informal?

duke up is generally slang.