"dunsel" meaning in English

See dunsel in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈdʌnsəl/ [General-American, Received-Pronunciation] Forms: dunsels [plural]
Etymology: Possible coinage as a variation of English dunnage as dun + -sel with the suffix indicating singulative or diminutive. Earliest so-far documented use was in a Star Trek episode, "The Ultimate Computer". May not be a real word but merely an invention by a Star Trek writer. Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*dun-}}, {{m+|en|dunnage}} English dunnage, {{suffix|en|dun|sel}} dun + -sel Head templates: {{en-noun}} dunsel (plural dunsels)
  1. (nautical) Something (especially part of a vessel) that is useless, or superfluous or unnecessary. Categories (topical): Nautical
    Sense id: en-dunsel-en-noun-zX6awnaO Topics: nautical, transport
  2. (nautical, by extension) A captain of a vessel who has little or no authority. Tags: broadly Categories (topical): Nautical, People
    Sense id: en-dunsel-en-noun-TI7VHJdn Disambiguation of People: 1 99 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -sel, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 26 74 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -sel: 29 71 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 18 82 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 9 91 Topics: nautical, transport
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: dunsel cap (english: appears to be unrelated)

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*dun-"
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      "expansion": "",
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      "args": {
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        "2": "dunnage"
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      "expansion": "English dunnage",
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  "etymology_text": "Possible coinage as a variation of English dunnage as dun + -sel with the suffix indicating singulative or diminutive. Earliest so-far documented use was in a Star Trek episode, \"The Ultimate Computer\". May not be a real word but merely an invention by a Star Trek writer.",
  "forms": [
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        "plural"
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  "head_templates": [
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      "args": {},
      "expansion": "dunsel (plural dunsels)",
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "english": "appears to be unrelated",
      "word": "dunsel cap"
    }
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  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Nautical",
          "orig": "en:Nautical",
          "parents": [
            "Transport",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
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          "source": "w"
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      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1982, Marteen Dee Graham, Silver Sundown, New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing, →ISBN, page 42:",
          "text": "If I'm not part of the crew and earn my keep, then I'm a dunsel. And you'll not have a dunsel aboard long […]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2007, Mark S. Kadrich, “Linux”, in Endpoint Security, Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Addison-Wesley, →ISBN, pages 229 and 234:",
          "text": "[page 229] For those of you who don't recognize the term, dunsel was a term first used in Star Trek to characterize Captain Kirk in the episode \"The Ultimate Computer.\" The plotline was about a scientist, Doctor Richard Daystrom, who installs a computer that is designed to operate the Enterprise without the need for the crew. The new M5 computer would enable mankind to explore the galaxy without putting human life in danger. Without a crew, a captain is pretty useless, and at one point Kirk was referred to as Captain Dunsel. […] Well, I'm using dunsel here to describe software or applications that don't need to be on your computer. […] [page 234] More than a few systems have been accessed via the guest account or other default accounts, so one thing we need to do is to remove all the dunsel default user accounts.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015 September 2, Chris Mentch, “In the Face of Her Storm”, in As I See It: Reasons, Rhymes, and Reflections; the Spirit of a “Well-versed” Philosophy, Bloomington, Ind.: WestBow Press, →ISBN:",
          "text": "I struggled down through the galley. / And again up to the mast. / I even checked on the dunsel, / Wrapped my girl's sails down, I wrapped 'em low and I wrapped 'em fast.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Something (especially part of a vessel) that is useless, or superfluous or unnecessary."
      ],
      "id": "en-dunsel-en-noun-zX6awnaO",
      "links": [
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          "superfluous"
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        "(nautical) Something (especially part of a vessel) that is useless, or superfluous or unnecessary."
      ],
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        "nautical",
        "transport"
      ]
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        {
          "_dis": "26 74",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
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          "_dis": "29 71",
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        {
          "ref": "[1968, D[orothy] C[atherine] Fontana, “The Ultimate Computer”, in Star Trek: The Original Series, season 2, episode 53 (DVD), Hollywood, Calif.: Paramount Pictures, published 2014, →ISBN:",
          "text": "McCoy: “Who the blazes is ‘Captain Dunsel’?” / Spock: “Dunsel, Doctor, is a term used by midshipmen at Starfleet Academy. It refers to a part which serves no useful purpose.”",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "[2005, Kevin J[ames] Anderson, Scattered Suns (The Saga of Seven Suns; book 4), New York, N.Y.: Warner Books, →ISBN, glossary:",
          "text": "DUNSEL – slang term for token human commanders aboard EDF [Earth Defense Force] rammer ships.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015 January 10, “The Infernal Machine”, in John K. Balor, editor, SPACE: 1999 – The 40th Anniversary Celebration: A New Episode by Episode Commentary and Analysis by Online Alpha, Raleigh, N.C.: Lulu, published September 2015, →ISBN, page 290:",
          "text": "In EARTHBOUND we have the exact same story. There is nothing wrong with Simmonds per se, but, just like Captain Kirk in THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER [a Star Trek episode], he has become \"Captain Dunsail\"^([sic – meaning Dunsel]) in the sense of no longer having any function. He is suffering from the same state of lacked recognition that Gwent talks about.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
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        "(nautical, by extension) A captain of a vessel who has little or no authority."
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      "topics": [
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  "sounds": [
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      "ipa": "/ˈdʌnsəl/",
      "tags": [
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        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
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  ],
  "word": "dunsel"
}
{
  "categories": [
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    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
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      "word": "dunsel cap"
    }
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1982, Marteen Dee Graham, Silver Sundown, New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing, →ISBN, page 42:",
          "text": "If I'm not part of the crew and earn my keep, then I'm a dunsel. And you'll not have a dunsel aboard long […]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2007, Mark S. Kadrich, “Linux”, in Endpoint Security, Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Addison-Wesley, →ISBN, pages 229 and 234:",
          "text": "[page 229] For those of you who don't recognize the term, dunsel was a term first used in Star Trek to characterize Captain Kirk in the episode \"The Ultimate Computer.\" The plotline was about a scientist, Doctor Richard Daystrom, who installs a computer that is designed to operate the Enterprise without the need for the crew. The new M5 computer would enable mankind to explore the galaxy without putting human life in danger. Without a crew, a captain is pretty useless, and at one point Kirk was referred to as Captain Dunsel. […] Well, I'm using dunsel here to describe software or applications that don't need to be on your computer. […] [page 234] More than a few systems have been accessed via the guest account or other default accounts, so one thing we need to do is to remove all the dunsel default user accounts.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015 September 2, Chris Mentch, “In the Face of Her Storm”, in As I See It: Reasons, Rhymes, and Reflections; the Spirit of a “Well-versed” Philosophy, Bloomington, Ind.: WestBow Press, →ISBN:",
          "text": "I struggled down through the galley. / And again up to the mast. / I even checked on the dunsel, / Wrapped my girl's sails down, I wrapped 'em low and I wrapped 'em fast.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Something (especially part of a vessel) that is useless, or superfluous or unnecessary."
      ],
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          "nautical",
          "nautical"
        ],
        [
          "vessel",
          "vessel"
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        ],
        [
          "superfluous",
          "superfluous"
        ],
        [
          "unnecessary",
          "unnecessary"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(nautical) Something (especially part of a vessel) that is useless, or superfluous or unnecessary."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "nautical",
        "transport"
      ]
    },
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        {
          "ref": "[1968, D[orothy] C[atherine] Fontana, “The Ultimate Computer”, in Star Trek: The Original Series, season 2, episode 53 (DVD), Hollywood, Calif.: Paramount Pictures, published 2014, →ISBN:",
          "text": "McCoy: “Who the blazes is ‘Captain Dunsel’?” / Spock: “Dunsel, Doctor, is a term used by midshipmen at Starfleet Academy. It refers to a part which serves no useful purpose.”",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "[2005, Kevin J[ames] Anderson, Scattered Suns (The Saga of Seven Suns; book 4), New York, N.Y.: Warner Books, →ISBN, glossary:",
          "text": "DUNSEL – slang term for token human commanders aboard EDF [Earth Defense Force] rammer ships.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015 January 10, “The Infernal Machine”, in John K. Balor, editor, SPACE: 1999 – The 40th Anniversary Celebration: A New Episode by Episode Commentary and Analysis by Online Alpha, Raleigh, N.C.: Lulu, published September 2015, →ISBN, page 290:",
          "text": "In EARTHBOUND we have the exact same story. There is nothing wrong with Simmonds per se, but, just like Captain Kirk in THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER [a Star Trek episode], he has become \"Captain Dunsail\"^([sic – meaning Dunsel]) in the sense of no longer having any function. He is suffering from the same state of lacked recognition that Gwent talks about.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
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        "(nautical, by extension) A captain of a vessel who has little or no authority."
      ],
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        "broadly"
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    }
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      "ipa": "/ˈdʌnsəl/",
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    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "The Ultimate Computer"
  ],
  "word": "dunsel"
}

Download raw JSONL data for dunsel meaning in English (5.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-15 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (8a39820 and 4401a4c). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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