deuce English · revision 844

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /djuːs/ ''(UK)''; /duːs/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|deus]], [[bor|frm|deus|t=two]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from [[la|duōs]], the accusative of ''duo'' “two”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) The spelling with ''-ce'' reflects the voiceless pronunciation, as in ''dice''.^(Etymonline) The mild oath ''the deuce'' “the devil” is probably related, perhaps through Low German ''daus'' “two at dice; bad luck”.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The two-spot in a game of dice (about 1475);^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) a throw of two (1519).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The tennis sense, a score of 40 all after which two successive points are needed to win, dates from 1598 and was influenced by French ''à deux de jeu''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Because two was the lowest and unluckiest throw at dice, ''deuce'' came to mean bad luck or mischief (1651) and then the devil, used in mild oaths such as ''what the deuce'' (by 1710).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The resemblance to Latin ''deus'' “god” may have helped.^(Etymonline) A playing card with two pips is a deuce from 1680.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1475 – the two at dice.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1598 – the tennis score.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1651 – bad luck; the devil.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1680 – a two in cards.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1710 – a mild oath.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A playing card with two pips, or the face of a die with two spots; a throw of two at dice.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(tennis)'' A tied score of 40 all, or of five games all, after which one side must win two successive points or games.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(dated)'' The devil, used in mild oaths, as in ''what the deuce?''^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(tennis)'' To bring the score of (a game or set) to deuce.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[deuced]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[two]]

+ * [[duo]]

+ * [[dual]]

+ * [[devil]]

+ * [[dickens]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}