un

¹ American  

[uhn] / ən /

Or 'un

pronoun

Dialect.

1. one.

   young uns; He's a bad un.

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UN ² American  

Or U.N.

abbreviation

1. United Nations.

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un- ³ American  

1. a prefix meaning “not,” freely used as an English formative, giving negative or opposite force in adjectives and their derivative adverbs and nouns (unfair; unfairly; unfairness; unfelt; unseen; unfitting; unformed; unheard-of; un-get-at-able ), and less freely used in certain other nouns (unrest; unemployment ).

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un- ⁴ American  

1. a prefix freely used in English to form verbs expressing a reversal of some action or state, or removal, deprivation, release, etc. (unbend; uncork; unfasten , etc.), or to intensify the force of a verb already having such a meaning (unloose ).

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un- ¹ British  

prefix

1. denoting reversal of an action or state

   uncover

   untangle

2. denoting removal from, release, or deprivation

   unharness

   unman

   unthrone

3. (intensifier)

   unloose

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UN ² British  

abbreviation

1. United Nations

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'un ³ British  

/ ən /

pronoun

1. a spelling of one

   that's a big 'un

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un- ⁴ British  

prefix

1. (freely used with adjectives, participles, and their derivative adverbs and nouns: less frequently used with certain other nouns) not; contrary to; opposite of

   uncertain

   uncomplaining

   unemotionally

   untidiness

   unbelief

   unrest

   untruth

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Usage

This spelling is intended to reflect a dialectal or informal pronunciation

Related Words

See in- ³.

Etymology

Origin of un-³

Middle English un-, on-, Old English; cognate with Dutch on-, Gothic, German un-, Old Norse ū-, ō-; akin to Latin in-, Greek an-, a-. See a- ⁶, an- ¹, in- ³

Origin of un-⁴

Middle English, Old English un-, on-; cognate with Gothic and-, Dutch ont-, German ent-; akin to Latin ante, Greek antí; ante-, anti-

Example Sentences

Last year, three barbers in Kunar province were jailed for three to five months for breaching the ministry's rules, according to a UN report.

From Barron's

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said there was a "step forward" in talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva but warned "we don't have much time".

From Barron's

Almost immediately the FBI opened an investigation, and evidence suggested that the North Korean government likely led this attack as retribution and to quash the release of a film called “The Interview,” a Seth Rogen comedy about a bunch of journalists who make a screwball plan to assassinate the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un.

From The Wall Street Journal

Alavi struggled for months, before being picked along with 25 other women for embroidery training under a programme backed by the UN refugee agency.

From Barron's

More than 17,000 Egyptians reached Europe via the Mediterranean last year, while 1,328 people of all nationalities died or disappeared on the world's deadliest migration route, according to Frontex and the UN.

From Barron's