Wiktionary

dun

See also: Appendix:Variations of "dun"

EnglishEdit

 
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

PronunciationEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Middle English dun, dunne, from Old English dunn (“dun, dingy brown, bark-colored, brownish black”), from Proto-Germanic *dusnaz (“brown, yellow”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“to smoke, raise dust”). Cognate with Old Saxon dun (“brown, dark”), Old High German tusin (“ash-gray, dull brown, pale yellow, dark”), Old Norse dunna (“female mallard; duck”).

Alternative etymology derives the Old English word from Brythonic (compare Middle Welsh dwnn (“dark (red)”)), from Proto-Celtic *dusnos (compare Old Irish donn), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰews- (compare Old Saxon dosan (“chestnut brown”)). More at dusk.

NounEdit

dun (usually uncountable, plural duns)

  1. A brownish grey colour.
    dun:  
TranslationsEdit

AdjectiveEdit

dun (not comparable)

  1. Of a brownish grey colour.
TranslationsEdit

Derived termsEdit

See alsoEdit

Etymology 2Edit

Unknown; perhaps a variant of din. Several sources suggest origin from Joe Dun, the name of a bailiff known for arresting debtors, but this is controversial.

NounEdit

dun (plural duns)

  1. (countable) A collector of debts.
    • 1837, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Ethel Churchill, volume 2, pages 162-163:
      "The truth is, Mr. Curl, I cannot write when I am plagued about trifles; and a tiresome dun this morning put to flight every idea that I had in the world."
      "Mr. Maynard," said the bookseller, in a solemn tone, "it is very wrong to run in debt."
    • 1889 [1712], John Arbuthnot, The History of John Bull, London: Cassell & Co., OCLC 6255586, page 71:
      Look ye, gentlemen, I have lived with credit in the world, and it grieves my heart never to stir out of my doors but to be pulled by the sleeve by some rascally dun or other.
    • 1933 January 9, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], chapter 18, in Down and Out in Paris and London, London: Victor Gollancz […], OCLC 2603818:
      Melancholy duns came looking for him at all hours.
    • 1970, John Glassco, Memoirs of Montparnasse, New York 2007, p. 102:
      ‘Frank's worried about duns,’ she said as the butler went away.
  2. An urgent request or demand of payment.
    • 1842, A.B.G., “Errata”, in Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate, volume 13, OCLC 10193591, page 251:
      Miss Hoppin received a dun for volume 9 1840–1 which Mr. James McConnell, (who now pays the above) is sure was paid.
TranslationsEdit

VerbEdit

dun (third-person singular simple present duns, present participle dunning, simple past and past participle dunned)

  1. (transitive) To ask or beset a debtor for payment.
    • 1768, Jonathan Swift, The Works of Dr. Jonathan Swift, London: C. Bathurst, OCLC 459163337, Miscellanies in Verse, page 309:
      And hath she sent so soon to dun?
    • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Folio Society 1973, p. 577:
      Of all he had received from Lady Bellaston, not above five guineas remained and that very morning he had been dunned by a tradesman for twice that sum.
  2. (transitive) To harass by continually repeating e.g. a request.
TranslationsEdit
Derived termsEdit

Etymology 3Edit

Uncertain; likely from the color.

NounEdit

dun (plural duns)

  1. (countable) A newly hatched, immature mayfly; a mayfly subimago.
    • 1966, John Harris, An Angler's Entomology, New York: Barnes, OCLC 3612670, page 16:
      Also, duns are dull and generally sober colored, whilst spinners are more brightly colored and shining and their wings are clear and transparent.
  2. (countable, fishing) A fly made to resemble the mayfly subimago.
    • 1676, Charles Cotton, The Compleat Angler. Being Instructions how to Angle for a Trout or Grayling in a Clear Stream, London: Richard Marriott, and Henry Brome, OCLC 228732346, March, page 59:
      We have besides for this Month a little Dun call'd a whirling Dun (though it is not the whirling Dun indeed, which is one of the best Flies we have) and for this the dubbing must be of the bottom fur of a Squirrels tail and the wing of the grey feather of a Drake.
SynonymsEdit
TranslationsEdit

Etymology 4Edit

From Irish dún or Scottish Gaelic dùn, from Proto-Celtic *dūnom (“fortress”). Cognate with Welsh dinas (“city”). Doublet of town.

Alternative formsEdit

NounEdit

 
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

dun (plural duns)

  2. An ancient or medieval fortification; especially a hill-fort in Scotland or Ireland.
    • 1858, Henry MacLauchlan, Memoir written during a survey of the Roman Wall, through the counties of Northumberland and Cumberland, in the years 1852-1854, London: Printed for private circulation, OCLC 14866297, page 9:
      Pampedun, or Pandon, was probably a place of residence from the earliest times; its sheltered situation for boats, and proximity to the ancient way over the river, protected perhaps by a dun or camp, on the height above [...] possibly gave origin to the ancient name of the place, Pampedun, from the British pant, a hollow, and dun, a fort or camp, Pant-y-dun.
  3. (archeology) A structure in the Orkney or Shetland islands or in Scotland consisting of a roundhouse surrounded by a circular wall; a broch.
    • 2013, T.J. Clarkson, The Makers of Scotland: Picts, Romans, Gaels and Vikings, Edinburgh: Birlinn, →ISBN:
      Smaller than the broch was the dun, another type of stone-built 'roundhouse'.

Etymology 5Edit

See do.

VerbEdit

dun

  1. (nonstandard, informal) Eye dialect spelling of done: past participle of do
    Now, ya dun it!
    • 1895 May 1, S.L.N. Foote, “Correspondence”, in International Journal of Medicine and Surgery‎[2], volume 8, retrieved 2016–10–13, page 194:
      ...a wise old lady exclaimed, "Why Mrs. M. warn't you orful skeerd wunst when you seed a dog fight? [...] an that ere big yaller dog bit orf your baby's hand that minit; in cors he dun it, so now that settles it."
  2. (nonstandard, informal) Pronunciation spelling of don't: contraction of do + not.
    • 1901, Gilbert Parker, The Right of Way, New York and London: Harper, OCLC 169519:
      Fwhere's he come from, I dun'no'. French or English, I dun'no'. But a gintleman born, I know.

Etymology 6Edit

Likely from the color of fish so prepared.

VerbEdit

dun (third-person singular simple present duns, present participle dunning, simple past and past participle dunned)

  1. (transitive, dated) To cure, as codfish, by laying them, after salting, in a pile in a dark place, covered with saltgrass or a similar substance.
    • 1832, James Thacher, History of Plymouth; from its first settlement in 1620, to the year 1832, Boston: Marsh, Capen & Lyon, OCLC 78447431, page 317:
      Dun-fish are of a superior quality for the table, and are cured in such a manner as to give them a dun or brownish color. Fish for dunning are caught early in spring, and sometimes February, at the Isle of Shoals.

Etymology 7Edit

See dune.

NounEdit

dun (plural duns)

  1. A mound or small hill.

Etymology 8Edit

Imitative.

InterjectionEdit

dun

  1. Imitating a deep base note, such as that found in suspenseful music.
    • 2009, Carrie Tucker, I Love Geeks: The Official Handbook, Avon, Massachusetts: Adams Media, →ISBN:
      How would you deal with that power? (Dun, dun, DUN! Insert dramatic music here.)
    • 2015, Lisa Dombrowski, The Films of Samuel Fuller: If You Die, I’ll Kill You, page 113:
      Dun, dun! Dun, dun! As the music continues, the long shot of Griff's walk is broken down into repeating tight shots of his face, his legs, and his shifting point of view of Brockie.
    • 2016, Helen Russell, Leap Year: How small steps can make a giant difference:
      'DUN DUN DUN DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN! DUN DUN DUN DUNDUN-DUN-DUN... PRESSURE!' By 2.05 a.m. I am Very Awake Indeed and the catastrophising continues.
    • 2020, Spencer Hamilton, The Fear: A Pandemic Horror Novel:
      Whenever that iconic riff in the score cued up—Dun dun ... dun dun ... dun dun dun dun dun-dun-dun-dun ... —Jack's heart would race, and she'd feel the fear on her skin.
Related termsEdit

Etymology 9Edit

NounEdit

dun (plural duns)

  1. Alternative form of dhoon (“Himalayan valley”)

ReferencesEdit

AnagramsEdit

BambaraEdit

PronunciationEdit

VerbEdit

dun

  1. to eat

ReferencesEdit

DanishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Norse dúnn (“down”).

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /duːn/, [d̥uːˀn]

NounEdit

dun n (singular definite dunet, plural indefinite dun)

  1. down (soft, immature feathers)

InflectionEdit

Declension of dun
neuter
gender 		Singular Plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative dun dunet dun dunene
genitive duns dunets duns dunenes

See alsoEdit

DutchEdit

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /dʏn/
  • Audio
    		(file)
  • Hyphenation: dun
  • Rhymes: -ʏn

Etymology 1Edit

From Middle Dutch dunne, from Old Dutch *thunni, from Proto-West Germanic *þunnī, from Proto-Germanic *þunnuz. Cognates with English thin (Compare West-Flemish thinne).

AdjectiveEdit

dun (comparative dunner, superlative dunst)

  1. thin, slender
  2. sparse
  3. (liquid) runny
InflectionEdit
Inflection of dun
uninflected dun
inflected dunne
comparative dunner
positive comparative superlative
predicative/adverbial dun dunner het dunst
het dunste
indefinite m./f. sing. dunne dunnere dunste
n. sing. dun dunner dunste
plural dunne dunnere dunste
definite dunne dunnere dunste
partitive duns dunners —
AntonymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
DescendantsEdit
  • Afrikaans: dun
  • Berbice Creole Dutch: doni
  • Negerhollands: dun, din

Etymology 2Edit

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

VerbEdit

dun

  1. first-person singular present indicative of dunnen
  2. imperative of dunnen

GalicianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From de (“of”) + un (“masculine singular indefinite article”)

ContractionEdit

dun m (feminine dunha, masculine plural duns, feminine plural dunhas)

  1. Contraction of de un. From a; of a

Further readingEdit

GermanEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from Low German duun.

PronunciationEdit

AdjectiveEdit

dun (comparative duner, superlative am dunsten)

  1. (informal, chiefly Northern Germany) drunk
    • 1998, “Du (äh, Du)”, in Power, performed by Fischmob:
      Ich war dun die Nacht
      Und hatte mit chemischen Drogen aus Amerika herumexperimentiert
      Bis ich das Bewußtsein verlor
      I was drunk that night / and had experimented with synthetic drugs from America / until I lost consciousness

DeclensionEdit

Positive forms of dun
number & gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter all genders
predicative er ist dun sie ist dun es ist dun sie sind dun
strong declension
(without article) 		nominative duner dune dunes dune
genitive dunen duner dunen duner
dative dunem duner dunem dunen
accusative dunen dune dunes dune
weak declension
(with definite article) 		nominative der dune die dune das dune die dunen
genitive des dunen der dunen des dunen der dunen
dative dem dunen der dunen dem dunen den dunen
accusative den dunen die dune das dune die dunen
mixed declension
(with indefinite article) 		nominative ein duner eine dune ein dunes (keine) dunen
genitive eines dunen einer dunen eines dunen (keiner) dunen
dative einem dunen einer dunen einem dunen (keinen) dunen
accusative einen dunen eine dune ein dunes (keine) dunen
Comparative forms of dun
number & gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter all genders
predicative er ist duner sie ist duner es ist duner sie sind duner
strong declension
(without article) 		nominative dunerer dunere duneres dunere
genitive duneren dunerer duneren dunerer
dative dunerem dunerer dunerem duneren
accusative duneren dunere duneres dunere
weak declension
(with definite article) 		nominative der dunere die dunere das dunere die duneren
genitive des duneren der duneren des duneren der duneren
dative dem duneren der duneren dem duneren den duneren
accusative den duneren die dunere das dunere die duneren
mixed declension
(with indefinite article) 		nominative ein dunerer eine dunere ein duneres (keine) duneren
genitive eines duneren einer duneren eines duneren (keiner) duneren
dative einem duneren einer duneren einem duneren (keinen) duneren
accusative einen duneren eine dunere ein duneres (keine) duneren
Superlative forms of dun
number & gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter all genders
predicative er ist am dunsten sie ist am dunsten es ist am dunsten sie sind am dunsten
strong declension
(without article) 		nominative dunster dunste dunstes dunste
genitive dunsten dunster dunsten dunster
dative dunstem dunster dunstem dunsten
accusative dunsten dunste dunstes dunste
weak declension
(with definite article) 		nominative der dunste die dunste das dunste die dunsten
genitive des dunsten der dunsten des dunsten der dunsten
dative dem dunsten der dunsten dem dunsten den dunsten
accusative den dunsten die dunste das dunste die dunsten
mixed declension
(with indefinite article) 		nominative ein dunster eine dunste ein dunstes (keine) dunsten
genitive eines dunsten einer dunsten eines dunsten (keiner) dunsten
dative einem dunsten einer dunsten einem dunsten (keinen) dunsten
accusative einen dunsten eine dunste ein dunstes (keine) dunsten

Further readingEdit

  • “dun” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • “dun” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • “dun” in Duden online

HunsrikEdit

PronunciationEdit

VerbEdit

dun

  1. (auxiliary, with an infinitive) will; to be going (to do something); forms the future tense
    Ich dun das mache.
    I will do that.
  2. (auxiliary, with an infinitive) to be; forms the progressive aspect
    Was dun-se mache.
    What are they doing.
  3. to put, to place, to add
    Du mol en bissje Eis in de Suco.
    Put some ice in the juice.

InflectionEdit

Conjugation of dun
infinitive dun
past participle gedun
auxiliary hon
present tense conditional tense
1st person singular dun dääd
2nd person singular dust dääst
3rd person singular dud dääd
1st person  plural dun dääde
2nd person plural dud dääd
3rd person plural dun dääde
imperative
2nd person singular du
2nd person plural dud

Derived termsEdit

Further readingEdit

KiputEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-North Sarawak *daqun, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *dahun (compare Malay daun).

NounEdit

dun

  1. leaf

MandarinEdit

RomanizationEdit

dun

  1. Nonstandard spelling of dūn.
  2. Nonstandard spelling of dún.
  3. Nonstandard spelling of dǔn.
  4. Nonstandard spelling of dùn.

Usage notesEdit

  • English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.

Norwegian BokmålEdit

 
Norwegian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia no

EtymologyEdit

From Old Norse dúnn

NounEdit

dun f or m (definite singular duna or dunen, indefinite plural duner, definite plural dunene)
dun n (definite singular dunet, indefinite plural dun, definite plural duna or dunene)

  1. down (soft, fine fluffy feathers)

ReferencesEdit

Norwegian NynorskEdit

 
Norwegian Nynorsk Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nn

EtymologyEdit

From Old Norse dúnn m

NounEdit

dun f or n (definite singular duna or dunet, indefinite plural duner or dun, definite plural dunene or duna)

  1. down (soft, fine fluffy feathers)

ReferencesEdit

Old EnglishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Germanic *dūnǭ (“hill, sand dune”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“to smoke, fume, raise dust”); or alternatively a late borrowing from Proto-Celtic *dūnom from the same Proto-Indo-European source.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

dūn f

  1. hill, mountain

DeclensionEdit

Declension of dun (strong ō-stem)
Case Singular Plural
nominative dūn dūna, dūne
accusative dūne dūna, dūne
genitive dūne dūna
dative dūne dūnum

Derived termsEdit

DescendantsEdit

Old FrenchEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin donum.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

dun m (oblique plural duns, nominative singular duns, nominative plural dun)

  1. (Anglo-Norman) Alternative form of don
    • c. 1150, Turoldus, La Chanson de Roland:
      E tute Espaigne tendrat par vostre dun
      And all of Spain he will hold as your gift

SwedishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Norse dúnn (“down”).

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

dun n

  1. down, what grows on young birds

DeclensionEdit

Declension of dun 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative dun dunet dun dunen
Genitive duns dunets duns dunens

Related termsEdit

ReferencesEdit

VolapükEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from German tun and English do.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

dun (nominative plural duns)

  1. deed, action, act, doing

DeclensionEdit

declension of dun
singular plural
nominative dun duns
genitive duna dunas
dative dune dunes
accusative duni dunis
vocative 1 o dun! o duns!
predicative 2 dunu dunus
  • 1 status as a case is disputed
  • 2 in later, non-classical Volapük only

Derived termsEdit

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