dunny meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

dunny

adj

/ˈdʌni/

Etymology From dun (“dusky brown”) + -y (“forming adjectives of lesser degree”).

Somewhat dun, dusky brownish.

I were skynnes of conny, / That causeth I loke so donny.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:

dunny

noun

Etymology Probably from dun (“to ring”) + -y (“forming adjectives of lesser degree”).

UK, Derogatory, Dialectal, Euphemistic, Obsolete A dummy, an unintelligent person.

Should a School-boy do so, he'd be whip'd for a Dunny.1709, British Apollo, Vol. II, No. 29, p. 3

dunny

adj

Etymology Probably from dun (“to ring”) + -y (“forming adjectives of lesser degree”).

UK, Dialectal Somewhat deaf, hard of hearing.

Dunny, somewhat deaf, deafish.1708, J. Kersey, Dictionary Anglo-Britannicum:

UK, Derogatory, Dialectal, Euphemistic Slow to answer: stupid, unintelligent.

What the devil are you dunny? won't you give me no answer?a. 1791, F. Grose, Olio, p. 105

Derived terms: dunnily, dunniness

dunny

noun

Etymology A clipped form of English cant dunnakin (“outhouse”) + -y (suffix forming affectionate diminutives). Dunnakin, dunnekin, etc. are of uncertain etymology, but probably from some form of English cant danna (“dung”) + ken (“house”, pejorative slang). The Scottish and North English senses may derive from Etymology 4 below, either under influence from English cant or as its original source.

UK, Alternative, Obsolete, Slang Alternative form of danna: shit.

Australia, New Zealand, Northern England, Scotland, Also, Dated, Slang An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.

"I've got one of those outside dunnies here, hasn't been emptied for six months and I ran out of sawdust three months ago."1995, Paul Vautin, Turn It Up!, Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia, page 106:
There was one leaning dunny down the back and, if you stayed very quiet, on a very still day you could hear the white ants as they chewed the wood.The bottom boards were already eaten through, and I avoided using the dunny at all costs.2008, Judith L. McNeil, No One's Child, page 95:

1 more example

‘Until you wake up to yourself, you can live in the old dunny for all I care.’ ‘All right, I will,’ said Tony.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:

Australia, New Zealand, Slang Any other place or fixture used for urination and defecation: a latrine; a lavatory; a toilet.

The dunny was another place to go to get out of class. You got to go there by raising your hand in class and asking Miss if you could go to the lav.2010, Kathleen M. McGinley, Out of the Daydream, page 47:

Northern England, Scotland, Dated, Slang A passageway, particularly those connecting an outhouse to the main building.

Synonyms: bathroom, toilet
Derived terms: bang like a dunny door, bang like a dunny door in a gale, dunny budgie, dunny can, dunny cart, dunny-ken, dunny man, dunny roll

dunny

noun

Etymology A clipped form of English dungeon + -y (“forming affectionate diminutives”).

Northern England, Scotland, Dated, Slang A cellar, basement, or underground passage.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.