Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Dŭn, a. p. 419Of a dark color; of a color partaking of a brown and black; of a dull-brown color; swarthy. “Dun wreaths of distant smoke.” W. Scott. Summer’s dun cloud comes thundering up. Pierpont. 2. Dark…Dŭn, v. t. p. 419To cure, as cod-fish, in a manner to give them a dun color. This is effected by laying them in a pile, after salting, in a dark apartment, covered with salt grass, or some like substance. In two or…Dŭn, v. t. p. 419To ask or beset, as a debtor, for payment; to urge importunately. “Hath she sent so soon to dun?” Swift.Dŭn, n. p. 419One who duns. “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. 3. An eminence or mound. See DUNE.Dŭn'-bĭrd, n. p. 419A North American species of duck; — called also ruddy duck. Peabody.Dŭnçe, n. p. 419A person of weak intellect; 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…Dŭn'çer-y, n. p. 419Dullness; stupidity. Sir T. Smith.Dŭn'çi-cal, a. p. 419Like a dunce; duncish. “The most dull and duncical commissioner.” Fuller.Dŭn'çi-fȳ, v. t. p. 419To make stupid in intellect. [Obs.] Warburton.Dŭn'çish, a. p. 419Like a dunce; sottish. [Rare.]Dŭn'çish-ness, n. p. 419The character of a dunce; stupidity; dullness; duncery. [Rare.]Dŭn'der, n. p. 419Lees; dregs; especially of the cane juice, used in the manufacture of rum. [West Indies.] The use of dunder in the making of rum answers the purpose of yeast in the fermentation of flour. Edwards.Dŭn'der-hĕad or Dŭn'der-pāte, n. p. 419A dunce; a dull-head. “The old formal dunderhead.” W. Scott.Dŭn'-dīv'er, n. p. 419(Ornith.) A species of duck; Mergus merganser, or M. castor; the goosander.Dūne, n. p. 420A low hill of sand accumulated on a sea-coast. Three great rivers, the Rhine, the Meuse, and the Scheld, had deposited their slime for ages among the dunes or sand-banks heaved up by the ocean around…Dŭn'-fish, n. p. 420Cod-fish so cured as to give it a dun or brown color. See DUN.Dŭng, n. p. 420The excrement of an animal. Bacon.Dŭng, v. t. p. 420To manure with dung. Dryden. 2. (Calico Print.) To immerse in a bath of cow-dung diffused in hot water, as calico or other cotton goods.Dŭng, v. i. p. 420To void excrement.Dŭn'ġeon, n. p. 420The innermost keep or strongest tower of a castle; donjon. 2. A secure prison; especially, a dark, subterranean place of confinement. “To enter into so foul a dungeon.” Chaucer. Year after year he…Dŭn'ġeon, v. t. p. 420To confine in a dungeon. Bp. Hall.Dŭng'-fôrk, n. p. 420A fork with several tines, used to remove or spread dung from a stable or into a cart, or to spread it over land.Dŭng'hill, n. p. 420A heap of dung. 2. Any mean situation or condition; a vile abode. He lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill. 1 Sam. ii. 8. 3. A man meanly born;—used as a term of reproach. [Obs.] Shak.Dŭng'meer, n. p. 420A place where dung and other rubbish is placed to be mixed and rotted; a compost pit; — usually in the plural.Dŭng'y, a. p. 420Full of dung; filthy; vile. Shak.Dŭng'-yärd, n. p. 420A yard where dung is collected.Dŭnk'er, n. p. 420The same as TUNKER. See TUNKER.Dŭn'lin, n. p. 420(Ornith.) A bird, a species of sandpiper; the Tringa vulgaris. Pennant.Dŭn'lop, n. p. 420A sweet, rich, white kind of cheese made in Scotland. Simmonds.Dŭn'naġe, n. p. 420(Naut.) Fagots, boughs, or loose materials of any kind, laid on the bottom of a ship to raise heavy goods above the bottom to prevent injury by water in the hold; also, loose articles of merchandise…Dŭn'ner, n. p. 420One employed in soliciting the payment of debts. Spectator.Dŭn'ni-ness, n. p. 420The state of being somewhat deaf; deafness. See DUNNY.Dŭn'nish, a. p. 420Inclined to a dun color. Ray.Dŭn'ny, a. p. 420Deaf; dull of apprehension; stupid; slow. My old dame Joan is something dunny, and will scarce know how to manage. W. Scott.Dŭnt, n. p. 420A blow or stroke. [Obs.] Robert of Gloucester.Dŭnt'ed, a. p. 420Beaten; hence, blunted. [Obs.] “Fencer’s swords . . . having the edge dunted.” Fuller.Dŭn'ter-go͞ose, n. p. 420The eider-duck. [Prov. Eng.]Dū'o, n. p. 420(Mus.) A composition for two performers; a duet.Dū'o-dĕc'a-hē'dral or Dū'o-dĕc'a-hē'dron, a. p. 420Dū'o-dĕc'a-hē'dron, n. See DODECAHEDRAL, DODECAHEDRON.Dū'o-de-çĕn'ni-al, a. p. 420Consisting of twelve years. [Rare.] Ash.Dū'o-dĕç'i-mal, a. p. 420Proceeding in computation by twelves.Dū'o-dĕç'i-mals, n. pl. p. 420(Arith.) A kind of multiplication called also cross multiplication, in which the denominations proceed by twelves, as of feet and inches. It is employed chiefly by artificers in computing the…Dū'o-dĕç'im-fid, a. p. 420Divided into twelve parts.Dū'o-dĕç'i-mo, a. p. 420Formed of sheets folded so as to make twelve leaves; of, or equal to, the size of one fold of a sheet of printing paper, when doubled so as to make twelve leaves; as, a duodecimo book; duodecimo size.Dū'o-dĕc'i-mo, n. p. 420A book in which a sheet is folded into twelve leaves. 2. The size of a book thus composed;—usually indicated thus: 12mo. or 12°.Dū'o-dē'kū-ple, a. p. 420Consisting of twelves. Arbuthnot.Dū/o-dēn'a-ry, a. p. 420Relating to the number twelve; twelvefold; increasing by twelves. Duodenary arithmetic, that system in which the local value of the figures increases in a twelvefold proportion from right to left.Dū'o-dē'num, n. p. 420(Anat.) The first of the small intestines.Dū'o-lit'er-al, a. p. 420Consisting of two letters only; biliteral. Stuart.Dŭp, v. t. p. 420To open; as, to dup the door. [Obs. and low.] Shak.Dūp'a-ble, a. p. 420Capable of being duped.Dūpe, n. p. 420One who is duped or misled; as, the dupe of a party.Dūpe, v. t. p. 420To deceive; to trick; to mislead by imposing on one's credulity; as, to be duped by flattery. Ne'er have I duped him with base counterfeits. Coleridge.Dūp'er-y, n. p. 420The act or practice of duping. [Rare.]Dū'pi-on, n. p. 420A double cocoon, formed by two or more silk-worms. Simmonds.Dū'ple, a. p. 420Double. Duple ratio (Math.), that in which the antecedent term is double the consequent, as of 2 to 1, 8 to 4, &c. — Subduple ratio, the reverse of duple ratio, as of 1 to 2, 4 to 8, &c.Du'plex, a. p. 420Double; twofold. Duplex querela (Eccl. Law.) See DOUBLE QUARREL.—Duplex ratio (Math.), the product of a ratio.—Duplex escapement, a peculiar kind of watch escapement, in which, the escape wheel…Dū'pli-cate, a. p. 420Double; twofold. Duplicate proportion, or ratio (Math.), the proportion or ratio of squares. Thus, in geometrical proportion, the first term to the third is said to be in a duplicate ratio of the…Dū'pli-cate, n. p. 420That which exactly resembles or corresponds to something else; hence, a copy; a transcript; a counterpart. I send a duplicate both of it and my last dispatch. Sir W. Temple. 2. That which is of the…Dū'pli-cāte, v. t. p. 420To double; to fold; to render double; to make a copy or transcript of. Glanville. 2. (Physiol.) To divide into two by natural growth or spontaneous action; as, infusoria duplicate themselves.