Cockney Rhyming Slang

Cockney rhyming slang has its roots in London’s East End, where it was likely developed to confuse outsiders. It entails substituting a short phrase for a word with which it rhymes—like “butcher’s hook” for “look”—and then dropping the part that rhymes, resulting in seemingly nonsensical constructions such as “Have a butcher’s.” Many of these sayings have since entered the common lexicon, though speakers are generally unaware of their origins. How was the phrase “put up your dukes” derived? Discuss

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