Dictionary

duchess

see also: Duchess

Pronunciation

Noun

duchess (plural duchesses)

The wife or widow of a duke.
- 2012, Caroline Davies, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announce they are expecting first baby (in The Guardian, 3 December 2012)
  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.
The female ruler of a duchy.

Related terms

Translations

Translations

Verb

duchess (duchesses, present participle duchessing; past and past participle duchessed)

(UK, informal) to court or curry favour for political or business advantage; to flatter obsequiously.
- 1996, Shane Maloney, The Brush-Off, 2003, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=0KRb4dFJdXwC&pg=PA46&dq=%22duchessing%22|%22duchessed%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=uVJGT8SrM6WeiQK2nu3aDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22duchessing%22|%22duchessed%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 46],
  ‘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.’
- 2004, Humphrey McQueen, A New Britannia, Fourth Edition, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=eJy4y4X92kYC&pg=PA66&dq=%22duchessing%22|%22duchessed%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=uVJGT8SrM6WeiQK2nu3aDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22duchessing%22|%22duchessed%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 66],
  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.

Duchess

Proper noun

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