dun

Etymology 1

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.

noun

1. A brownish grey colour.
   dun:

adj

1. Of a brownish grey colour.

Etymology 2

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.

noun

1. (countable) A collector of debts, especially one who is insistent and demanding.
   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. 1889 [1712], John Arbuthnot, The History of John Bull, London: Cassell & Co., →OCLC, page 71
   ‘Frank's worried about duns,’ she said as the butler went away. 1970, John Glassco, Memoirs of Montparnasse, New York, published 2007, page 102
2. An urgent request or demand of payment.
   Miss Hoppin received a dun for volume 9 1840–1 which Mr. James McConnell, (who now pays the above) is sure was paid. 1842, A.B.G., “Errata”, in Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate, volume 13, →OCLC, page 251

verb

1. (transitive) To ask or beset a debtor for payment.
   And hath she sent so soon to dun? 1768, Jonathan Swift, The Works of Dr. Jonathan Swift, London: C. Bathurst, →OCLC, Miscellanies in Verse, page 309
   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. Folio Society 1973, p. 577
2. (transitive) To harass by continually repeating e.g. a request.
   Rich bitches who had to be dunned for their milk bills would pay him right now. 1940, Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely, Penguin, published 2010, page 107

Etymology 3

Uncertain; likely from the color.

noun

1. (countable) A newly hatched, immature mayfly; a mayfly subimago.
   Also, duns are dull and generally sober colored, whilst spinners are more brightly colored and shining and their wings are clear and transparent. 1966, John Harris, An Angler's Entomology, New York: Barnes, →OCLC, page 16
2. (countable, fishing) A fly made to resemble the mayfly subimago.
   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. 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, March, page 59

Etymology 4

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

noun

1. An ancient or medieval fortification; especially a hill-fort in Scotland or Ireland.
   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. 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, page 9
2. (archaeology) A structure in the Orkney or Shetland islands or in Scotland consisting of a roundhouse surrounded by a circular wall; a broch.
   Smaller than the broch was the dun, another type of stone-built 'roundhouse'. 2013, T.J. Clarkson, The Makers of Scotland: Picts, Romans, Gaels and Vikings, Edinburgh: Birlinn

Etymology 5

See do.

verb

1. (nonstandard, informal) Eye dialect spelling of done: past participle of do
   Now, ya dun it!
   ...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." May 1895, S.L.N. Foote, “Correspondence”, in International Journal of Medicine and Surgery, volume 8, retrieved 2016-10-13, page 194
   “Oh, Because I want their dollar. I don't want Anything they've not got. I never dun. I'm there, and they can pay me if they like. I go nowhere on purpose: I happen by. Sorry there is no cup to give you a drink.[…] 2001-04-01, Robert Frost, Poems by Robert Frost: A Boy's Will and North of Boston, Penguin, →OCLC
2. (nonstandard, informal) Pronunciation spelling of don't: contraction of do + not.
   Fwhere's he come from, I dun'no'. French or English, I dun'no'. But a gintleman born, I know. 1901, Gilbert Parker, The Right of Way, New York and London: Harper, →OCLC

Etymology 6

Likely from the color of fish so prepared.

verb

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.
   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. 1832, James Thacher, History of Plymouth; from its first settlement in 1620, to the year 1832, Boston: Marsh, Capen & Lyon, →OCLC, page 317

Etymology 7

See dune.

noun

1. A mound or small hill.

Etymology 8

Imitative.

intj

1. Imitating a deep bass note, such as that found in suspenseful music.
   How would you deal with that power? (Dun, dun, DUN! Insert dramatic music here.) 2009, Carrie Tucker, I Love Geeks: The Official Handbook, Avon, Massachusetts: Adams Media
   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. 2015, Lisa Dombrowski, The Films of Samuel Fuller: If You Die, I’ll Kill You, page 113
   '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. 2016, Helen Russell, Leap Year: How small steps can make a giant difference
   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. 2020, Spencer Hamilton, The Fear: A Pandemic Horror Novel

Etymology 9

noun

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