Dictionary: DUN – DUN'NAGE

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DUN, v.t.1

To cure, as fish, in a manner to give them a dun color. [See Dunning.]

DUN, v.t.2 [Sax. dynan, to clamor, to din. See Din. Qu. Gr. δονεω.]

  1. Literally, to clamor for payment of a debt. Hence, to urge for payment; to demand a debt in a pressing manner; to urge for payment with importunity. But in common usage, dun is often used in a milder sense, and signifies to call for, or ask for payment.
  2. To urge importunately, in a general sense, but not an elegant word.

DUNCE, n. [duns; G. duns. Qu. Pers. دَندْ‎‎, a stupid man.]

A person of weak intellects; a dullard; a dolt; a thickskull. I never knew this town without dunces of figure. – Swift. [“Dunce is said by Johnson to be a word of unknown etymology. Stanihurst explains it. The term Duns from Scotus, 'so famous for his subtill quiddities,' he says, 'is so trivial and common in all schools, that whose surpasseth others either in cavilling sophistrie, or subtill philosophie, is forthwith nicknamed a Duns.' This, he tells us in the margin, is the reason 'why schoolmen are called Dunses.' (Description of Ireland, p. 2.) The word easily passed into a term of scorn, just as a blockhead is called Solomon; a bully, Hector; and as Moses is the vulgar name of contempt for a Jew.” – Dr. Southey's Omniana, vol. i. p. 5. E.H.B.] I have little confidence in this explanation. – N.W.

DUN'CER-Y, n.

Dullness; stupidity. – Smith.

DUN'CI-FY, v.t.

To make stupid in intellect. [Not used.] – Warburton.

DUN'CISH, a.

Like a dunce; sottish.

DUN'DER, n. [Sp. redundar, to overflow; L. redundo.]

Lees; dregs; a word used in Jamaica. The use of dunder in the making of rum answers the purpose of yeast in the fermentation of flour. – Edwards, West Indies.

DUN'DER-PATE, n.

A dunce; a dull head.

DUNE, n.

A hill. [See Down.]

DUN'-FISH, n.

Codfish cured in a particular manner. [See Dunning.]

DUNG, n. [Sax. dung, or dincg, or dinig; G. dung; dünger; Dan. dynd; Sw. dynga.]

The excrement of animals. – Bacon.

DUNG, v.i.

To void excrement.

DUNG, v.t.

To manure with dung. – Dryden.

DUNG'ED, pp.

Manured with dung.

DUN'GEON, n. [Fr. dongeon, or donjon, a tower or platform in the midst of a castle, a turret or closet on the top of a house. In one Armoric dialect it is domjou, and Gregoire suggests that it is compounded of dom, lord or chief, and jou, Jupitor, Jove, an elevated or chief tower consecrated to Jupiter; but qu. In Scottish, it is written doungeoun, and denotes the keep or strongest tower of a fortress, or an inner tower surrounded by a ditch. Jamieson. It was used for confining prisoners, and hence its application to prisons of eminent strength. The dungeon was in the bottom of a castle, under ground and without light. – Henry. Brit.]

  1. A close prison; or a deep, dark place of confinement. And in a dungeon deep. – Spenser. They brought Joseph hastily out of the dungeon. – Gen. xli.
  2. A subterraneous place of close confinement. – Jeremiah.

DUN'GEON, v.t.

To confine in a dungeon. – Hall.

DUN'GEON-ED, pp.

Confined in a dungeon.

DUNG'FORK, n.

A fork used to throw dung from a stable or into a cart, or to spread it over land.

DUNG'HILL, a.

Sprung from the dunghill; mean; low; base; vile. – Shak.

DUNG'HILL, n.

  1. A heap of dung.
  2. A mean or vile abode. – Dryden.
  3. Any mean situation or condition. He lifteth the beggar from the dunghill. – 1 Sam. ii.
  4. A term of reproach for a man meanly born. [Not used.] – Shak.

DUNG'Y, a.

Full of dung; filthy; vile. – Shak.

DUNG'YARD, n.

A yard or inclosure where dung is collected. – Mortimer.

DUN'KERS, n.

The name of a Christian sect. They practice abstinence and mortification, and it is said they deny the eternity of future punishment.

DUN'LIN, n.

A fowl, a species of sandpiper. Pennant.

DUN'NAGE, n.

Fagots, boughs or loose wood laid on the bottom of a ship to raise heavy goods above the bottom. – Mar. Dict.