dun

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“
- dun, dun, dun - The CW.

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Definitions (32)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (6)

  1. transitive verb To importune (a debtor) for payment: a dunning letter.
  2. noun One that duns.
  3. noun An importunate demand for payment.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (14)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (5)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (7)

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Examples (50)

  • My desire to become acquainted with such things he used very dexterously to divert my attention by sending me forth as his dun, and to turn me away from my intention. —  Autobiography: Truth and Fiction Relating to My Life
  • But I see one other splendid dun, and of this thou hast said no word, though thrice I have questioned thee concerning it Laeg grew pale at these words, and he said What dun is that, my master Cuculain said, "O fox that thou art, right well thou knowest. —  The Coming of Cuculain
  • With him we went to see an ancient building, called a dun or borough. —  Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland
  • It was so sweet when he explained it that I'm happily walking down the aisle to "dun, dun, dun, dun". —  Weddingbee
  • Conspicuous amongst the people of the dun were —  The Coming of Cuculain
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Etymologies (7)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. Origin unknown.
  2. Middle English, from Old English dunn, perhaps of Celtic origin.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (5)

  1. from Middle English dunne, donne, dun, from Anglo-Saxon dun, dunn, from Welsh dwn, dun, dusky, swarthy. = Irish and Gaelic donn, dun, brown. Not related to G. dunkel, dark. Hence dunling, dunnock, donkey.
  2. from Middle English dunnen, donnen, make of a dun color, from Anglo-Saxon dunnian, darken, obscure (as the moon does the stars), from dun, dunn, dark, dun: see dun, a.
  3. from Middle English dunnen, make a loud noise (verbal noun dunning, a loud noise), variant of dynnen, dynning, dinnen, etc., earlier Middle English dunien, from Anglo-Saxon dynian, make a din. Dun is thus another form of din, v. Cf. dunt = dint, dull = dill, etc. The use of the word as in II. is modern, and may be of other origin.
  4. from dun, v.
  5. Of Celtic origin; Irish dūn = Gaelic dūn, a hill, fort, town, Welsh din, a hill-fort; later Anglo-Saxon dūn, English down, a hill: see down.
 

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