deuce

1
[ doos, dyoos ]
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noun
  1. Cards. a card having two pips; a two, or two-spot.

  2. Dice.

    • the face of a die having two pips.

    • a cast or point of two.

  1. Tennis. a situation, as a score of 40–40 in a game or 5–5 in a match, in which a player must score two successive points to win the game or two successive games to win the set.

  2. Slang.

    • a two-dollar bill.

    • the sum of two dollars.

adjective
  1. (especially in games, sports, and gambling) two.

Origin of deuce

1
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English deus, dewes, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin duōs (masculine accusative of duo ) “two”

Words Nearby deuce

Other definitions for deuce (2 of 2)

deuce2
[ doos, dyoos ]

noun
  1. devil; dickens (used as a mild oath): Where the deuce did they hide it?

Origin of deuce

2
First recorded in 1645–55; apparently to be identified with deuce1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use deuce in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for deuce (1 of 2)

deuce1

/ (djuːs) /


noun
    • a playing card or dice with two pips or spots; two

    • a throw of two in dice

  1. tennis a tied score (in tennis 40-all) that requires one player to gain two successive points to win the game

Origin of deuce

1
C15: from Old French deus two, from Latin duos, accusative masculine of duo two

British Dictionary definitions for deuce (2 of 2)

deuce2

/ (djuːs) informal /


interjection
  1. an expression of annoyance or frustration

noun
  1. the deuce (intensifier) used in such phrases as what the deuce, where the deuce, etc

Origin of deuce

2
C17: probably special use of deuce 1 (in the sense: lowest throw at dice)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012