Defn: To ask or beset, as a debtor, for payment; to urge
importunately.
Hath she sent so soon to dun Swift.
DUN
Dun, n.
1. One who duns; a dunner. To be pulled by the sleeve by some rascally dun. Arbuthnot.
2. An urgent request or demand of payment; as, he sent his debtor a dun.
DUN Dun, a. Etym: [AS. dunn. of Celtic origin; cf. W. dwn, Ir. & Gael. donn.]
Defn: Of a dark color; of a color partaking of a brown and black; of a dull brown color; swarthy. Summer's dun cloud comes thundering up. Pierpont. Chill and dun Falls on the moor the brief November day. Keble. Dun crow (Zoöl.), the hooded crow; — so called from its color; — also called hoody, and hoddy. — Dun diver (Zoöl.), the goosander or merganser.
DUNBIRD Dun"bird`, n. Etym: [Named from its color.] (Zoöl.) (a) The pochard; — called also dunair, and dunker, or dun-curre. (b) An American duck; the ruddy duck.
DUNCE
Dunce, n. Etym: [From Joannes Duns Scotus, a schoolman called the
Subtle Doctor, who died in 1308. Originally in the phrase "a Duns
man". See Note below.]
Defn: One backward in book learning; a child or other person dull or weak in intellect; a dullard; a dolt. I never knew this town without dunces of figure. Swift.
Note: The schoolmen were often called, after their great leader Duns Scotus, Dunsmen or Duncemen. In the revival of learning they were violently opposed to classical studies; hence, the name of Dunce was applied with scorn and contempt to an opposer of learning, or to one slow at learning, a dullard.