dun

v. t. To cure, as codfish, in a particular manner, by laying them, after salting, in a pile in a dark place, covered with salt grass or some like substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Dunned p. pr. & vb. n. Dunning ] [ AS. dyne noise, dynian to make a noise, or fr. Icel. dynr, duna, noise, thunder, duna to thunder; the same word as E. din. √74. See Din. ] To ask or beset (e.g., a debtor), for payment; to urge importunately. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hath she sent so soon to dun? Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who duns; a dunner. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be pulled by the sleeve by some rascally dun. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An urgent request or demand of payment; as, he sent his debtor a dun. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. dunn, of Celtic origin; cf. W. dwn, Ir. & Gael. donn. ] Of a dark color; of a color partaking of a brown and black; of a dull brown color; swarthy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Summer's dun cloud comes thundering up. Pierpont. [ 1913 Webster ]

Chill and dun
Falls on the moor the brief November day. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dun crow (Zool.), the hooded crow; -- so called from its color; -- also called hoody, and hoddy. --
Dun diver (Zool.), the goosander or merganser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Named from its color. ] (Zool.) (a) The pochard; -- called also dunair, and dunker, or dun-curre. (b) An American duck; the ruddy duck. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Joannes Duns Scotus, a schoolman called the Subtle Doctor, who died in 1308. Originally in the phrase “a Duns man”. See Note below. ] One backward in book learning; a child or other person dull or weak in intellect; a dullard; a dolt. [ 1913 Webster ]

I never knew this town without dunces of figure. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The realm or domain of dunces. [ Jocose ] Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Dullness; stupidity. [ 1913 Webster ]