dukes
Preserved but no longer current.
Or DOOKS, the hands, originally modification of the rhyming slang, "Duke of Yorks," forks = fingers, hands—a long way round, but quite true. The word is in very common use among low folk. "Put up your DOOKS" is a kind invitation to fight.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “dukes” mean?
Or DOOKS, the hands, originally modification of the rhyming slang, "Duke of Yorks," forks = fingers, hands—a long way round, but quite true. The word is in very common use among low folk. "Put up your DOOKS" is a kind invitation to fight.
Is “dukes” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.