A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1438, 1490-1624
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Dungeoun, Dongeoun, n. Also: dwngeoune, -goun, dungeowne, -geon(e, -gioun; dongeon(e, -gion, donieone; downgeowne, doungeoun. Also irregular variant: dungering. [ME. dun-, doun-, dongeoun, -geon, etc., varr. of dun-, donjon, OF. donjon.]
1. The great tower or keep of a castle. Also fig. 1375 Barb. xv. 211.
Thai of the dwngeoune [E. doungeoun] Durst oppyn no ȝat, na bryg let doune 1375 Ib. xvii. 224.
He … resauit of the Kyng the toune, Bath the castell and the dwngeoune [E. dongeoun] ?1438 Alex. ii. 4511.
Ane castell of his scheild he maid, And of his helm ane styth doungeoun 1490 Irland Mir. I. 146/10.
This glorius lady and virgin … is the toure and gret dungeone of oure strenthe and fortitude a1500 Doug. King Hart 876.
Thai harde the meikle fore tour fall, Quhilk maid thame in the dungeoun to effray c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1685.
Quhare … we may beilde One cityie with ane strang dungeoun c1552 Ib. 3858.
Thy dungiounis sall be dung in schounder 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 69.
The Maister of Cassilis … in his heat wald lay fyre to the dungeon a1578 Pitsc. II. 304/17.
Thinking that it was onpossibill to vin that doungeoun that thay var in 1579 Reg. Privy C. III. 364.
The great irne yett of the dungeoun of the said castell
2. A close, dark, and deep place of confinement.(a) c1420 Wynt. iii. 442.
Sa lang he lay in that dungeowne a1500 Henr. Bludy Serk 34.
He held the lady day and nycht Within his deip dungeoun a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 1186.
Hell is … Ane dirk dungeoun for creaturis dampnat a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 304.
He … Sett him in fetteris in ane dungeoun deip c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 92.
The Devill gart thame to dungeoun dryve c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1424.
He … thair remainit in presoun, Ane certane time, in that dungeoun c1552 Id. Mon. 4359.
He is prince of purgatorie, Delyuering saulis … Off that dirke dungeoun a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS cxxx. 69.
Chargeand ȝow to prwsoun To the kingis deip dwngounattrib. a1500 Doug. King Hart 292.
Clois befoir the dungeoun windo a1500 Ib. 314.
Ane previe closet … neir the dungeoun wallcomb. 1624 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 139.
The said Elspeth going in ȝour seller, quhilk was dungeon mirk [etc.](b) a1400 Legends of the Saints iii. 215.
The iuge … dange hym in a dongeone depe a1400 Ib. l. 612.
Eftire that scho suld be sone In till a myrk donieone be done c1420 Wynt. vii. 1293 (C).
This Donalde in a dongeon Thai kest 1513 Doug. vi. Prol. 166.
The dym dongeoun of Ditis till assailȝe 1513 Ib. iv. 69.
Throwout the waist dongion of Pluto kyng 1585 James VI Ess. 17.
When as he past throw all those dongeons dim(c) c1420 Wynt. vii. 1293.
This Downald in a downgeowne Thai kest(d) a1500 Henr. Bludy Serk 21.
He … kest hir in his dungering [: king, ȝing], Quhair licht scho micht se nane
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"Dungeoun n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/dungeoun>
