Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†MUNN, n. Also mun. [mʌn]
1. A short-handled spoon made of horn. See also s.v. Cutty, I. 4. (5).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 295:
Sup with your Head, the Horner is dead, he's dead that made the Munns.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 12:
Donald, tir'd wi' lang-kail in a mun At's ain fire-side.Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 102:
They're good for nought but riving buns Or spoiling cutties, making muns.Kcb. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 IX. 326:
Each person in the family had a short hafted spoon made of horn, which they called a munn, with which they supped, and carried it in their pocket, or hung it by their side.Sc. 1806 Scots Mag. (Sept.) 695:
Some wi' puddin' lade their muns.Kcb.4 1900:
A spune wi' a wee mooth and a short shaft is called a cuttie-mun.
2. A small, trifling article (Cld. 182–5 Jam.).
3. An old person with a small shrunken face (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 352).
[Prob. the same word as Mun, n.2, with extended meanings. The word may have originated in the cant of tinkers, who made horn spoons.]
