dun
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To solicit payment.—Old Cant, from the French DONNEZ, give; or from JOE DIN, or DUN, a famous bailiff; or simply a corruption of DIN, from the Anglo-Saxon DUNAN, to clamour.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “dun” mean?
To solicit payment.—Old Cant, from the French DONNEZ, give; or from JOE DIN, or DUN, a famous bailiff; or simply a corruption of DIN, from the Anglo-Saxon DUNAN, to clamour.
Is “dun” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.