dunny
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A dunny (outhouse) in Wolcha, New South Wales, Australia
English
Etymology 1
From dun (“dusky brown”) + -y (“forming adjectives of lesser degree”).
Pronunciation
Adjective
dunny (comparative dunnier, superlative dunniest)
- Somewhat dun, dusky brownish.
- c. 1517 (date written; published c. 1545), John Skelton, “Here after Foloweth the Booke Called Elynour Rummynge. The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng per Skelton Laureat.”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: , volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, , published 1843, →OCLC, page 108, lines 399–400:
- I were skynnes of conny, / That causeth I loke so donny.
- I wear skins of cony , / That cause me to look so dunny.
Etymology 2
Probably from dun (“to ring”) + -y (“forming adjectives of lesser degree”).
Adjective
dunny (comparative dunnier, superlative dunniest)
- (UK dialect) Somewhat deaf, hard of hearing.
- 1708, J. Kersey, Dictionary Anglo-Britannicum:
- Dunny, somewhat deaf, deafish.
- (UK dialect, derogatory, euphemistic) Slow to answer: stupid, unintelligent.
- a. 1791, F. Grose, Olio, p. 105:
- What the devil are you dunny? won't you give me no answer?
- a. 1791, F. Grose, Olio, p. 105:
Derived terms
Noun
dunny (plural dunnies)
- (UK dialect, derogatory euphemistic, obsolete) A dummy, an unintelligent person.
Etymology 3
A clipped form of English cant dunnakin (“outhouse”) + -y (“forming affectionate diminutives”). Dunnakin, dunnekin, etc. are of uncertain etymology, but probably from some form of English cant danna (“dung”) + ken (“pejorative slang for house”). The Scottish and North English senses may derive from Etymology 4 below, either under influence from English cant or as its original source.
Noun
dunny (plural dunnies)
- (UK slang, obsolete) Alternative form of danna: shit.
- (Australia and New Zealand slang, also dated Scotland and Northern England) An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.
- 2010, Christopher Milne, “The Boy Who Lived in a Dunny”, in The Day Our Teacher Went Mad and Other Naughty Stories for Good Boys and Girls, page 108:
- ‘Until you wake up to yourself, you can live in the old dunny for all I care.’
‘All right, I will,’ said Tony.
- (Australia and New Zealand slang) Any other place or fixture used for urination and defecation: a latrine; a lavatory; a toilet.
- (Scotland, Northern England, slang, dated) A passageway, particularly those connecting an outhouse to the main building.
Alternative forms
Synonyms
- (outhouse): See Thesaurus:bathroom
- (toilet): See Thesaurus:toilet
Derived terms
- bang like a dunny door
- bang like a dunny door in a gale
- dunny budgie
- dunny can
- dunny cart
- dunny man
- dunny roll
Etymology 4
A clipped form of English dungeon + -y (“forming affectionate diminutives”).
Noun
dunny (plural dunnies)
- (Scotland, Northern England, slang, dated) A cellar, basement, or underground passage.
References
- ^ "dunny, adj.¹", in the Oxford English Dictionary (1897), Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- ^ "dunny, adj.² and n.¹", in the Oxford English Dictionary (1897).
- ^ "Dunnakin" in Humphry T. Potter's New Dictionary of All the Cant and Flash Languages (1790).
- ^ "Dunegan" in Francis Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.
- ^ "dunny, n.²", in the Oxford English Dictionary (1972), Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- ^ "Dunny, n.", in the Scottish National Dictionary (2005), Glasgow: University of Glasgow Press.