a playing card or the face of a dice representing the number two
a tie in a game, e.g. tennis, after which a side must score two consecutive clear points to win
informal (formerly used as an interjection or intensive)
(the deuce) the devil; the dickens
something very bad or remarkable of its kind
a deuce of a mess
[early French deus two, from Latin duo; (sense 3) prob from Low German duus deuce, the worst throw with a pair of dice]