▪ I. † don, n.2 Obs. rare.
[a. F. don:—L. dōn-um, gift.]
A donation, gift.
| 1524 St. Papers Hen. VIII, VI. 223 Whose assumpcion is undoubtedly worthy to be reputed a don and gift of God. |
▪ II. don, n.3 orig. and chiefly U.S.
(dɒn)
Also Don.
[a. S. It. don, a term of respect: cf. Don n.1]
(A respectful name for) a high-ranking or powerful member of the Mafia. Cf. capo1.
| 1952 E. Reid Mafia xvii. 189 Morano, boss or ‘Don’ of the Brooklyn Commora, was worried. 1959 F. Sondern Brotherhood of Evil vii. 104 With the weight of Don Giuseppe Masseria's influence behind him..he..started a gradual expansion of the brotherhood's activities{ddd}Masseria..thought that the boys were going too far too fast and said so with all the authority of a don. 1965 J. Wainwright Death in Sleeping City ii. vii. 129 A Mafioso must obey..any order originating from a Don or a Capo — the two senior rankings within the Mafia. 1970 [see mafia]. 1977 Time 16 May 28/3 The Mafia is overseen nationally — but loosely — by the Commission, a dozen or so dons who usually..defer to the dominant boss in New York. 1984 Times 29 Oct. 5 Signor Tommaso Buscetta, the former Mafia boss.., ‘Don Masino’ as he is known was brought under heavy guard from his place of detention. 1986 Times 7 Feb. 8/7 A black comedy directed by John Huston also earned a best..supporting actor nomination for William Hickey, as the ageing Mafia don. |
▪ III. don, v.1 arch.
(dɒn)
[contracted from do on: see do v. 48.
After 1650 retained in popular use only in north. dial.; as a literary archaism it has become very frequent in 19th c.]
1. trans. To put on (clothing, anything worn, etc.). The opposite of doff.
| 1567 Turberv. Ovid's Ep. 109 b, Do'n hornes And Bacchus thou shalt be. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iv. v. 52 Then vp he rose, & don'd his clothes. 1613–16 W. Browne Brit. Past. ii. iv. (R.), In Autumne..when stately forests d'on their yellow coates. 1621 Quarles Argalus & P. (1678) 84 Up Argalus, and d'on thy Nuptial weeds. a 1764 Lloyd Henriade (R.), Mars had donn'd his coat of mail. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth vi, My experience has been in donning steel gauntlets on mailed knights. 1861 T. A. Trollope La Beata II. xii. 61 To shut up his studio, and don his best coat. 1879 Dixon Windsor I. iii. 23 She donned the garment of a nun. |
2. transf. To dress (a person) in a garment; refl. to dress oneself. Chiefly north. dial.
| 1801 R. Anderson Cumberld. Ball. 17 Sae doff thy clogs, and don thysel. 1845 E. Brontë Wuthering Heights xix, Joseph was donned in his Sunday garments. |
Hence ˈdonning vbl. n.
| 1847 Emerson Poems (1857) 161 Too much of donning and doffing. 1888 Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk., Donnings, Sunday clothes, also finery. |
▪ IV. † don, v.2 Obs.
[Related to din v.]
intr. To resound, ring with sound; = din v. 1.
| a 1400 Sir Beues (1886) 163 (MS.E.) Al þe castel donyd and rong. 1483 Festivall (1515) 78 b, A man sholde unneth here his folowe speke for donnynges of strokes. |
▪ V. don
var. form of dun, down.
▪ VI. don
obs. pres. inf. and pa. pple. of do v.