What is the origin of the phrase, "put up your dukes"?

Answer by  mammakat (11147)

It's generally accepted that this came from Cockney rhyming slang where Dukes came to mean hands or fists. The use of dukes for fists was accepted slang by the late 1800's. There is some belief it comes from the Latin "dux", to lead, or the Greek Polydeukes, an ancient wrestler.

Answer by  Tam (24)

If I recall correctly the phrase has a long history of meaning that a person or persons wants to fight you using a body part located at the end of your arms after the wrist that has fingers attached to it that is generally called your two fists consisting of you hand curled and knuckles facing the other person.

Answer by  dr84bhl (2789)

Put up your dukes up is an old boxing phrase which originated in 1859.There are a couple of versions which the phrase originated from, one was from the American slang dictionary which is from the Romany gypsy , and another was from a cockney slang from the dukes of your york rhyming slang for fork .