▪ I. dung, n.
(dʌŋ)
Forms: 1– dung, (3 ding), 4–6 dunge, dong(e, 4–7 doung(e, (6 dungue, doong, 6–7 dongue).
[OE. dung = OFris. dung, OHG. tunga manuring, mod.G. dung and dünger manure. Cf. also Sw. dynga dung, muck, Da. dynge heap, hoard, mass, pile, mod.Icel. dyngja heap, dung. The original sense is uncertain: see Kluge s.v.]
1. Excrementitious and decayed matter employed to fertilize the soil; manure.
| c 1000 ælfric Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 104/9 Fimus, dung. c 1160 Hatton Gosp. Luke xiii. 8 Ic hine beweorpe mid dunge. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iv. 130 Þat lawe schal ben a laborer and leden a-feld dounge. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 276 The lond aboute a roote is to be moued Al vpsodoun, and flekis shal we make Of donge and molde. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 127/1 Donge, mucke, fimus, letamen. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 44 What kind of dung is best to fatten the same [barren ground] againe. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Country Farme 533 It will be good to spread Quicklime vpon the plowed ground..the haruest after it is more plentifull, than after anie other dung that a man can inuent. 1727 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Garden, Dung made of Leaves that are well rotted. 1875 Ure's Dict. Arts III. 213 All the essential fertilising substances of a large mass of home-made dung. |
2. (As constituting the usual manure) The excrement or fæces of animals (rarely of human beings): as
cow-dung,
horse-dung,
pig's-dung, etc.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 310 In to a chambre forene þe gadelyng gan wende..& in þe dunge þar Hudde hym þere longe. a 1300 Sarmun 6 in E.E.P. (1862) 2 A sakke ipudrid ful wiþ drit and ding. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xiv. 64 Þai dight þaire mete with dung of bestez dried at þe sonne. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 527 Donge of fowlis is ful necessary To londtiling. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §17 Horse-donge is the worste donge that is..And the dounge of douues is best, but it muste be layde vppon the grounde verye thynne. 1535 Coverdale 2 Kings xviii. 27 That they maye eate their owne donge and drynke their owne stale. 1611 Bible Job xx. 7 Yet he shall perish for euer, like his owne doung. 1796 H. Hunter tr. St. Pierre's Stud. Nat. I. 262 Now this dung was entirely the produce of the fishes on which those fowls constantly fed. 1817 J. Bradbury Trav. 135 Having collected a sufficient quantity of dry buffaloe's dung, we made a fire. |
3. transf. and
fig. Applied to that which is morally filthy or defiling; or to matter that is vile, contemptible, or loathsome.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 140 Heo mot..upholden ham, þet heo ne uallen iðe dunge of sunne. c 1325 Rel. Ant. II. 191 Loverd king, to hori ding what makith man so hold? 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iii. viii. 55 They were fallen and leyen defyled in the donge of synne. 1526–34 Tindale Phil. iii. 8 For whom I have counted all thynge losse, and do iudge them but donge. 1577 J. Northbrooke Dicing (1843) 76 This dung and filth of ydlenesse. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 95 For greedinesse of a little mucke or dung of the earth, (For monie is no better). a 1677 Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 I. 16 The dust of pelf, the dung of sensuality. 1858 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. i. i. (1865) I. 12 The noteworthy Dead is sure to be found lying under infinite dung, no end of calumnies and stupidities accumulated upon him. |
4. Tailor's slang. A term of obloquy, applied to journeymen who submit to the masters' terms, working by the piece instead of by the day, or working while others are on strike.
Cf. dunghill 2 d.
| 1764 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 66/2 Who, refusing to comply with the masters' terms..call themselves Flints, in contra⁓distinction to those who submit, and are in derision called by the first Dungs. 1824 Ibid. 80 The whole body of journeymen tailors is divided into two classes, denominated Flints and Dungs: the former work by the day and receive all equal wages; the latter work generally by the piece. 1837 Whittock, etc. Bk. Trades (1842) 430 (Tailor) Any man being declared a ‘dung’ for working too fast. 1867 Morning Star 6 Aug. 7/1 He said, ‘I know by your walk you are a {oqq}dung!{cqq}’ (A term applied to men who work for a shop where the hands are on strike.) |
5. attrib. and
Comb. a. attrib., as
dung-barge,
dung-bed,
dung-boat,
dung-cake,
dung-drag,
dung-mere,
dung-mixen (
i.e. dung-heap),
dung-pike,
dung-pit,
dung-yard, etc.
| 1751 Smollett Per. Pic. (1779) IV. xcvi. 188 The rudder of a *dung-barge. |
| 1845 Florist's Jrnl. 47 The preference of a small [hot] house over a *dung-bed. |
| a 1667 Cowley Answ. Invit. Cambridge Wks. 1711 III. 63 The Quondam *Dung-boat is made gay. |
| 1901 Kipling Kim iv. 91 For luxury's sake, Kim bought a handful of *dung-cakes to build a fire. 1929 [see choola]. 1949 M. L. Darling At Freedom's Door 213 There is one feature of village life which is so universal that I have hardly mentioned it—the dung cakes. |
| 1795 Hull Advertiser 6 June 3/3 Striking him on the head with a *dung drag. |
| 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), *Dung-Meers, are Places or Pits where Soils, Dungs, Weeds, etc. are mix'd and lie and rot together for some time, for the Improvement of Husbandry. |
| 1480 Robt. Devyll 38 So into a foule *donge myxen he her caryed. 1861 Musgrave By-roads 12 Road-side laystalls and dung-mixens removed out of sight. |
| 1530 Palsgr. 214/2 *Donge pyke, fourche a fiant. |
| 1658 Rowland Moufet's Theat. Ins. Ep. Ded., Oyl Beetles..rowl up and down a *dung-pil. |
| 1870 Ramsay Remin. v. (ed. 18) 86 Their dung-hills or *dung-pits. |
| 1707–12 Mortimer (J.), Any manner of vegetables cast into the *dungyard. |
b. objective, instrumental, etc. as
dung-eater,
dung-finding;
dung-bred,
dung-feeding adjs.| a 1631 Drayton Poems IV. 1271 (Jod.) I scorn all earthly *dungbred scarabees. |
| 1845 Darwin Voy. Nat. (1889) 490 Many kinds of *dung-feeding beetles. |
| 1610 Healey St. Aug. Citie of God 691 Stercutius, who was deified for *dung-finding. |
c. Special combs.:
dung-bath (
Dyeing), a mixture of dung, usually that of cows, with chalk in warm water, used to remove superfluous mordant from printed calico;
dung-beetle, a name for the dor-beetle or dumble-dore; also a general name for the group of beetles which roll up balls of dung;
dung-bird, (
a) the hoopoe; (
b)
= dung-hunter;
dung-chafer = dung-beetle;
dung-cistern,
-copper, a vessel containing a dung-bath;
† dung-farmer, one who contracts to remove dung and refuse;
dung-fly, a two-winged fly of the genus
Scatophaga, feeding in ordure;
dung-gate,
-port, a gate through which dung and refuse are removed; in
O.T., the name of a gate of Jerusalem; the anus;
dung-hunter,
-teaser, the Dirt-bird or Dirty Allan: (see
quots.);
† dung-wet a., as wet as dung, wet through;
dung-worm, a worm or larva found in cow-dung, used as bait. Also
dung-cart, -fork, etc.
| 1836 Penny Cycl. VI. 153/2 The chalk occasionally added to the *dung-bath serves to neutralize the acids as they are evolved from the mordants. 1863–72 Watts Dict. Chem. II. 353 The dung-bath is now almost wholly superseded by the solutions of certain salts, viz. the double phosphate of soda and lime, arsenite and arsenate of soda, and silicate of soda. |
| 1634 Moufet Theat. Ins. 153 *Dung-beetle, Sharnbugg. 1828 Darwin in Life & Lett. I. 172 A bluish metallic-coloured dung-beetle. |
| 1816 Kirby & Sp. Entomol. (1843) II. 280 The common *dung-chafer..flies with great rapidity and force. |
| 1836 Penny Cycl. VI. 154/1 The goods must be..winched through a fresh *dung-cistern (commonly called a *dung-copper). |
| 1598 E. Guilpin Skial. (1878) 26 He'le cry, oh rare, at a *Dongfarmers cart. 1599 Hakluyt Voy. II. ii. 69 The dungfermers seek in euery streete by exchange to buy this durtie ware. 1616 Crt. & Times Jas. I (1849) I. 414 They say a dung-farmer gave him his death's wound. |
| 1658 Rowland Moufet's Theat. Ins. 947 Merdivora or *Dung-flies are of divers sorts. |
| 1535 Coverdale Neh. xii. 31 On the righte hande of the wall toward the *Donggate. 1657 W. Rand tr. Gassendi's Life Peiresc II. 152 The Excrement..in that part which was near the Dung-gate. a 1661 Fuller Worthies i. (1662) 144 Searching into the pedigree of Paper, it cometh into the world at the doungate, raked thence in Rags. |
| 1766 Pennant Zool. (1768) II. 423 This species [of Gull] is likewise called by some the *Dung Hunter. 1885 Swainson Prov. Names Birds 210 Richardson's Skua..[called] from the vulgar opinion that the gulls are muting, when, in reality, they are only disgorging fish newly caught..Dung bird or Dung hunter. |
| 1535 Coverdale Neh. ii. 13, I rode by nighte vnto the valley porte..and to the *Dongporte. |
| 1841 Selby in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club I. No. 9. 256 Arctic skua, better known..by the name of the *dung teazer. |
| 1599 Nashe Lenten Stuffe in Harl. Misc. (1808–12) VI. 180 (D.) Fishermen cowthring and quaking, *dung-wet after a storme. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 723 The duke of Alva (wonderfully wearied in the late skirmish, and dung wet). |
| 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp., *Dung-worms..found in great plenty among cow-dung in September and October. |
▪ II. dung, v. (
dʌŋ)
Forms: 1
dyngian, 4–6
dong(e, (5
doong, 6
doung), 4–7
dunge, 4–
dung.
[In OE. dyngian from dung n.; cf. OFris. donga, denga, MHG. tungen, Ger. düngen. In ME. assimilated to, or formed anew from the n.] 1. a. trans. To manure (ground) with dung; to dress with manure.
| c 1000 ælfric Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 104/8 Stercoratio, dingiung. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 99 Digge aboute þe vyne rotis and dung hem wel. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 127/1 Dungen, or mukkyn londe, fimo. 1502 Caxton's Chron. Eng. i. (1520) 7/1 He taught men to donge theyr feldes. 1548 Latimer Ploughers (Arb.) 19 The ploughman..tilleth hys lande..and sometyme doungeth it. 1648 Gage West Ind. xviii. 135 The best way to husband or dung their ground. 1770–74 A. Hunter Georg. Ess. (1803) I. 313 They miss a crop by dunging an improper soil. |
| fig. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 35 ¶2 To improve and dung his Brains with this prolifick Powder [snuff]. |
b. Predicated of animals.
| 1574 tr. Littleton's Tenures 15 b, If I deliver to a man mye sheepe to dong or marle his land. 1607 Dekker Westw. Hoe ii. i. Wks. 1873 II. 294 Doe Iack-dawes dung the top of Paules Steeple still? 1759 tr. Duhamel's Husb. i. iv. (1762) 9 The land is well dunged by them. |
c. Predicated of the manure.
| 1562 Turner Herbal ii. 52 b, Medic fother muste be sowen in April..It dongeth the ground well. 1589 Pasquill's Ret. 5 The carkases of the deade did dunge the grounde. |
2. a. intr. Of animals: To drop or eject excrement. Also of human beings.
| c 1470 Harding Chron. xxi. iv, In [the whiche time] no horsse maye dunge. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §18 Let them [shepe] stande stylle a good season, that they maye donge. 1699 W. Dampier Voy. II. ii. 105 He grases on the Shore, and dungs like a Horse. 1791 J. Whitaker Rev. Gibbon's Hist. 256 (R.) He dungs upon it at last from the dirty tail of Mahometanism. 1846 [see dunging vbl. n. 2]. 1865 H. J. Hunter Rep. Med. Off. P.C. 1864 App. VI. 183 in Parl. Papers XXVI, The women and children dung into pots.., the men dunging away from home. 1928 E. & C. Paul tr. Marx's Capital II. 761 A house whose ‘tenants dunged against the house-side’. |
† b. trans. dung out, to pass as excrement.
Obs.| 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 8 Till such time as the lambe beginne to dunge out the milke which it hath gotten of her [an ewe]. |
3. Calico-printing. To immerse in a dung-bath in order to remove superfluous mordant.
| 1836 [see dunging]. 1875 Ure's Dict. Arts I. 626 In dunging calicoes. Ibid. 628 A solution of arseniate of soda, containing from 10 to 50 grains arsenic acid per gallon, according to the strength and nature of the mordants to be dunged. |
Hence
dunged ppl. a., covered or mixed with dung; manured;
dunger, an animal that dungs (
Cotgr. s.v. Grumer).
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 151 In donged lond. 1597–8 Bp. Hall Sat. v. i. 116 To see the dunged folds of dag-tayled sheepe. 1626 Bacon Sylva §500 An Infusion of the Medecine in Dunged Water. 1651 R. Child in Hartlib's Legacy (1655) 11 Dung'd land. |
▪ III. dung pa. tense and
pple. of
ding v.
1