deuce

Definitions


[djuːs], (Noun)

Definitions:
- the two on dice or playing cards
(e.g: a doctored die having two deuces)

- the score of 40 all in a game, at which each player needs two consecutive points to win the game
(e.g: the Swede pegged him back to deuce from 40-love)


Phrases:

Origin:
late 15th century: from Old French deus ‘two’, from Latin duos


[djuːs], (Noun)

Definitions:
- used as a euphemism for ‘devil’ in expressions of annoyance, impatience, surprise, etc.
(e.g: how the deuce are we to make a profit?)


Phrases:
- a deuce of a —
- like the deuce
- the deuce to pay

Origin:
mid 17th century: from Low German duus, probably of the same origin as deuce (two aces at dice being the worst throw)




definition by Oxford Dictionaries