duchess
nounverbcommon in dialogue
- //ˈdʌt͡ʃɪs//
- //ˈdʌt͡ʃəs//
The wife or widow of a duke.
noun
- 1
The wife or widow of a duke.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have ended months of intense speculation by announcing they are expecting their first child, but were forced to share their news earlier than hoped because of the Duchess's admission to hospital on Monday.
- 2
The female ruler of a duchy.
Etymology
From Middle English duchesse, from Old French duchesse. Doublet of duchesse.
verb
- 1
informalto court or curry favour for political or business advantage; to flatter obsequiously.
On arrival in England he was “duchessed” in a manner that no Australian Prime Minister has ever been “duchessed” before or since. Northcliffe was looking for someone around whom he could build a campaign against Asquith. Hughes filled the bill nicely.
‘A word to the wise, Murray. Those wogs you′ve been duchessing at Ethnic Affairs have got nothing on the culture vultures. Tear the flesh right off your bones, they will.’
The traditional version of Hughes′ decision to introduce conscription gives central importance to his visit to London in April 1916 where it is alleged he was duchessed and deceived concerning recruitment figures.
But by 1914 Grayson had, according to Groves, been thoroughly duchessed, believing that he could enjoy the good things in life and still serve the cause.
Forms
- plural
- duchesses
- past tense
- duchessed
- past participle
- duchessed
- present participle
- duchessing
- third person singular
- duchesses
duchess · The wife or widow of a duke.
Duchess · A village in Alberta, Canada.duck · To quickly lower (the head or body), often in order to…Duck · A surname transferred from the nickname.