dung
C1Formal, technical, literary; informal when used as an insult.
Definition
Meaning
The excrement of animals, especially large herbivores such as cows, horses, or elephants.
In a broader sense, anything regarded as filthy, worthless, or degrading; also used in agriculture as a fertilizer. Can also refer to a specific shade of brown colour.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily refers to solid animal waste, not liquid. The word is more specific than 'manure', which can be processed. It often carries negative connotations of filth and baseness when used metaphorically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slightly more common in UK English in agricultural contexts, but 'manure' is more frequent in AmE for farm use.
Connotations
Identical connotations of filth and lowliness. Metaphorical use ('dung-beetle', 'dung heap') is equally understood.
Frequency
Low frequency in general conversation in both varieties. Higher frequency in agricultural, zoological, historical, or literary contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[noun] dungdung of [animal][verb] with dungVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “dung beetle”
- “tread in dung”
- “a dunghill (a situation of corruption)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in contexts of agricultural supplies or waste management.
Academic
Used in biology, agriculture, archaeology, and history.
Everyday
Rare in polite conversation. Used in rural settings or as a strong insult ('You're dung!').
Technical
Standard term in zoology for specific animal excrement; in agriculture, distinguishes raw waste from processed manure.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The stable hand will dung the fields tomorrow.
- Fields were traditionally dunged in the autumn.
American English
- We need to dung that pasture before spring planting.
- The farmer dunged the vegetable patch.
adverb
British English
- This is not used.
- This is not used.
American English
- This is not used.
- This is not used.
adjective
British English
- The dung-coloured walls were rather depressing.
- He wore a dung-brown jumper.
American English
- She painted the room a deep dung brown.
- The dung-colored soil was very fertile.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The farmer uses cow dung in the garden.
- The floor of the stable was dirty with dung.
- We could smell the dung from the nearby farm.
- Dung beetles are important for the ecosystem.
- Archaeologists analysed ancient dung to learn about prehistoric diets.
- The political scandal was a veritable dung heap of corruption.
- The treatise dismissed opposing arguments as intellectual dung, unworthy of consideration.
- He metaphorically wallowed in the dung of his own self-pity.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a cow going 'DUNG!' when it steps in its own waste. The word is short, blunt, and heavy like the substance.
Conceptual Metaphor
FILTH IS MORAL BASENESS (e.g., 'His ideas are pure dung.'); WORTHLESSNESS IS WASTE (e.g., 'The contract is not worth the dung it's written on.')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'dungeon' (подземелье).
- Прямой перевод 'навоз' уместен, но 'manure' может быть более частым в сельскохоз. контексте.
- 'Dung' не используется для человеческих экскрементов в современном языке, в отличие от 'crap'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'dung' for human waste (archaic/offensive).
- Misspelling as 'dung' for 'dungarees'.
- Pronouncing with a /g/ sound (it's /ŋ/, like in 'song').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'dung' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Dung typically refers to raw, solid animal excrement. Manure can refer to dung, but often implies it has been processed or composted for use as fertilizer.
Yes, though it's rare and chiefly used in agricultural contexts. It means to fertilize land with dung.
Yes, it is a strong insult, implying they are as worthless and vile as excrement.
'Feces' and 'excrement' are formal, biological terms applicable to any animal, including humans. 'Dung' is less formal and specifically refers to the waste of large animals, especially farm animals or wildlife like elephants.