 |
Dun
One who importunes for payment of a bill (Anglo-Saxon,
dunan, to din or clamour). The tradition is that it refers to Joe
Dun, a famous bailiff of Lincoln in the reign of Henry VII. The
British Apollo says he was so active and dexterous in collecting
bad debts that when anyone became “slow to pay” the neighbours used to
say to the creditors, “Dun him” (send Dun after him).
“An Universitie dunne ... is an inferior creditor of some ten
shillings or downewards, contracted for horse-hire, or perchance
drinke, too weake to be put in suite.” —Bishop Earle: Microcosmographia (1601-1695).
Squire Dun.
The hangman between Richard Brandin and Jack Ketch.
And presently a halter got,
Made of the best strong hempen teer;
And, ere a cat could lick his ear,
Had tied him up with as much art,
As Dun himself could do for's heart.
Cotton: Virgil Travestied, book iv.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Dun from Infoplease:
See a map of "" in the Visual Thesaurus
|
|
