dun

CEFRC2

/dʌn/

adjective · verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    A dull grayish-brown color.

  2. 02

    verb

    To repeatedly ask someone to pay money owed.

Examples

  • The horse had a beautiful dun coat and black mane.

  • The horse was a beautiful shade of greyish dun.

At a glance

Sits at C2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
3
Citations
5
Synonyms
2

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. A collector of debts, especially one who is insistent and demanding.

  2. Of a brownish grey colour.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. A brownish grey colour.

More examples

In context

  • They will dun us for payment until we settle the debt.

  • 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.

  • Now, ya dun it!

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The creditor will blank the debtor until the full amount is paid.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English dun, donn, dunne, from Old English dunn (“dun, dingy brown, bark-colored, brownish black”), from Proto-West Germanic *duʀn, from Proto-Germanic *duznaz, *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 and Scottish Gaelic donn (“brown”)), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰews- (compare Old Saxon dosan (“chestnut brown”)). More at du...