dan

¹ American  

[dahn, dan] / dɑn, dæn /

noun

Martial Arts.

1. a degree of expertise in karate, judo, tae kwon do, etc., usually signified by the wearing of a cloth belt of a particular color; level.

   a sixth-degree dan.

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Dan ² American  

[dan] / dæn /

noun

1. 1. (in the Bible) a son of Jacob and Bilhah.

   2. one of the 12 tribes of ancient Israel, traditionally descended from him.

2. the northernmost city of ancient Palestine.

3. a male given name, form of Daniel.

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idioms

1. from Dan to Beersheba, from one outermost extreme or limit to the other.

Dan ³ American  

[dan] / dæn /

noun

Archaic.

1. a title of honor equivalent to master or sir:

   Dan Chaucer.

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Dan. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. Bible. Daniel.

2. Danish. Also Dan

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Dan ¹ British  

/ dæn /

noun

1. 1. the fourth son of Jacob (Genesis 30:1–6)

   2. the tribe descended from him

2. a city in the northern territory of Canaan

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Dan. ² British  

abbreviation

1. Bible Daniel

2. Danish

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dan ³ British  

/ dæn /

noun

1. any one of the 10 black-belt grades of proficiency

2. a competitor entitled to dan grading

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Dan ⁴ British  

/ dæn /

noun

1. an archaic title of honour, equivalent to Master or Sir

   Dan Chaucer

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dan ⁵ British  

/ dæn /

noun

1. Also called: dan buoy.  a small buoy used as a marker at sea

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Etymology

Origin of dan¹

First recorded in 1940–45; from Japanese, from Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese duàn “step, grade”

Origin of Dan³

1275–1325; Middle English < Old French danz < Medieval Latin domnus, contraction of Latin dominus “lord, master”

Example Sentences

Kare kare dan dan noodles started as an experimental special, Miranda says, then stayed by popular demand for the silky sesame-and-peanut sauce, savory braised short rib, and creeping, complex, spicy heat.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 30, 2023

Según Crabtree, el concepto podría funcionar para la mitad de todos los tipos de cáncer, los cuales presentan mutaciones conocidas que dan lugar a proteínas que impulsan el crecimiento.

From New York Times • Aug. 12, 2023

Since we were throwing tradition out the window anyway, we decided to blend the meatiness of Sichuan dan dan mian, or spicy noodles with ground pork, with the simplicity of peanut noodles.

From Washington Times • May 15, 2023

And from the best tea shop in Los Angeles, Tea Habitat in Alhambra, owner Imen Shan specializes in oolongs with otherworldly fragrances called dan cong.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2022

“Queenie know mo bout whar she gwine dan you does. All you got to do es set dar en hold dem reins. You knows de way, now?”

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner