or dewce, deuse, subs. (common).—1. The devil; perdition. Also used as an ejaculative, e.g., THE DEUCE! WHAT THE DEUCE! WHO THE DEUCE! DEUCE TAKE YOU! etc. [WEDGWOOD: ‘The evolution of DEUCE from Thurs., the name of a Scandinavian demon is fully vouched.’ SKEAT: Latin deus, God, deus, borrowed from French usage, being found as an interjection in early English works. Low German duus, Ger. daus are used similarly and may have the same origin; others connect it with Armor. dus, teuz, a goblin.] For synonyms, see SKIPPER.
b. 1670, d. 1729. CONGREVE. It was the prettiest prologue as he wrote it; well, the DEUCE take me if I ha’n’t forgot it.
1751. B. MARTIN, English Dictionary (2nd ed.), s.v. DEWCE.
1780. HANNAH COWLEY, The Belle’s Stratagem, Act v., Sc. i. Miss C. DEUCE take her! she’s six years younger than I am.
1827. R. B. PEAKE, Comfortable Lodgings, Act I., Sc. iii. De C. I am the Intendant of Police, sir. Sir H. The DEUCE you are!
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends (The Jackdaw of Rheims).
| There ’s a cry and a shout, | |
| And a DEUCE of a rout, | |
| And nobody seems to know what they’re about. |
1854. MARTIN and AYTOUN, Bon Gaultier Ballads. ‘To a forget-me-not.’
| I can’t tell WHO THE DEUCE it was | |
| That gave me this Forget-me-not! |
2. (vagrants’).—Twopence.
1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4 ed.), p. 12, s.v.
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, vol. I., p. 276. ‘Give him a DEUCE’ (2d.).
3. (gamesters’).—The two at dice or cards.
TO PLAY THE DEUCE or DEVIL WITH, verb. phr. (common).—To send, or be sent, to rack and ruin.
1881. PAYN, A Grape from a Thorn, ch. i. I have a presentiment that the cooking will PLAY THE DEUCE with my digestion.
1885. Indoor Paupers, p. 89. Her drinking PLAYED THE DEUCE with the shop.
THE DEUCE TO PAY, phr. (common).—Unpleasant or awkward consequences to be faced; see DEVIL TO PAY.
1854. THACKERAY, The Rose and the Ring, p. 69. There has been such a row, and disturbance, and quarrelling, and fighting, and chopping of heads off, and THE DEUCE TO PAY, that I’m inclined to go back to Crim Tartary.
1869. E. WOOD, Roland Yorke, ch. xxxiii. One or both of ’em … report me for negligence! I get a curt telegram to come to town, and here’s THE DEUCE TO PAY!
