don Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a Spanish gentleman or nobleman
  2. noun teacher at a university or college (especially at Cambridge or Oxford)
    preceptor.
  3. noun the head of an organized crime family
    father.
  4. noun Celtic goddess; mother of Gwydion and Arianrhod; corresponds to Irish Danu
  5. noun a European river in southwestern Russia; flows into the Sea of Azov
    Don River.
  6. noun a Spanish courtesy title or form of address for men that is prefixed to the forename
    • Don Roberto
  7. verb put clothing on one's body
    assume; get into; wear; put on.
    • What should I wear today?
    • He put on his best suit for the wedding
    • The princess donned a long blue dress
    • The queen assumed the stately robes
    • He got into his jeans

WordNet

Don noun
Etymology
Sp. don; akin to Pg. dom, It. donno; fr. L. dominus master. See Dame, and cf. Domine, Dominie, Domino, Dan, Dom.
Definitions
  1. Sir; Mr; Signior; -- a title in Spain, formerly given to noblemen and gentlemen only, but now common to all classes.
    Don is used in Italy, though not so much as in Spain France talks of Dom Calmet, England of Dom Calmet, England of Dan Lydgate. Oliphant.
  2. A grand personage, or one making pretension to consequence; especially, the head of a college, or one of the fellows at the English universities. Univ. Cant "The great dons of wit." Dryden.
Don transitive verb
Etymology
Do + on; -- opposed to doff. See Do, v. t., 7.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Donned ; present participle & verbal noun Donning
Definitions
  1. To put on; to dress in; to invest one's self with.
    Should I don this robe and trouble you. Shak.
    At night, or in the rain, He dons a surcoat which he doffs at morn. Emerson.

Webster 1913