Mun

/mən/ verb

Definition

A dialectal or archaic verb meaning 'must' or 'have to,' used mainly in regional British English.

Etymology

From Old English 'man,' meaning 'to remember' or 'to think of as necessary,' related to 'mind.' It evolved into a word expressing obligation, still found in some dialects.

Kelly Says

'Mun' is a ghostword haunting modern English dialects—you'll still hear it in Yorkshire and other northern regions where speakers say 'I mun do it' instead of 'I must do it,' preserving a 1,400-year-old grammar pattern.

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