Hun, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Hun n.

[Ger. Hunnen, one of an Asiatic race of warlike nomads, who invaded Europe c.375, and under their leader Attila (c.406–453), overran much of Europe c.450. The original Huns were the Chinese Hiong-nu or Han. The modern use originated during WWI and stemmed directly from the speech made by Kaiser Wilhelm II to German troops setting sail for China on 27 July 1900: ‘No quarter will be given, no prisoners will be taken. Let all who fall into your hands be at your mercy. Just as the Huns a thousand years ago...gained a reputation in virtue of which they still live in historical tradition, so may the name of Germany become known in...China that no Chinaman will ever again even dare to look askance at a German’]

1. a derog. term for a German, the German army.

[1595		‘W.S.’ Lamentable Tragedie of Locrine [title]: Locrine, the eldest sonne of King Brutus, discoursing the warres of the Britaines, and Hunnes. [Ibid.] II v: Thou base borne Hunne, how durst thou be so bold].
1806–7		J. Beresford Miseries of Human Life (1826) 111: Visiting an awful Ruin, in the company of a Romp, of one sex, or a Hun, of the other.
1886		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 4 Dec. 2/4: About twenty Huns and Poles spent the day [...] carousing [...] and at about 10 o'clock at night engaged in a free fight, in which clubs, sticks and an ax were used.
1893		F. Remington letter 9 Jan. in Splete (1988) 157: I want to see the Dutch in maneuver. Might tackle the Hun’s but not in a canoe. [Ibid.] May 171: Jews – injuns – Chinamen – Italians – Huns, the rubbish of the earth.
1902		Kipling ‘The Rowers’ in Times 22 Dec. 9/5: In sight of Peace [...] With a cheated crew, to league anew With the Goth and the shameless Hun!
1907		Sun. Times (Perth) 21 July 4s/2: You may reason with a Kaffir, you may Christianise a Hun.
1910		F.P. Dunne Mr Dooley Says 175: I niver saw a Swede, a Hun, an Eyetalian [...] that I didn’t give him th’ shoulder.
1918		C.J. Dennis ‘Digger Smith’ in Chisholm (1951) 94: ‘But I ain’t grouchin’. It was worth the fun. / We ’ad some picnic stoushin’ Brother ’Un.
1919		‘Sapper’ Mufti 124: Marshal Foch seems to be fair making the ‘Uns ‘um.
1927		W. Edge Main Stem 106: He was continually aiming the piece at some imaginary Hun.
1939		H. Miller Tropic of Capricorn (1964) 267: My, is that the Kaiser I see on a white horse? Are those the terrible Huns?
1945		G. Fairlie Capt. Bulldog Drummond 10: We have fellows working wherever they can inconvenience the blasted Huns.
1951		(con. 1941) E. Lambert Twenty Thousand Thieves 45: They reckon there are Huns around El Agheila too.
1953		P. Closterman (trans.) Big Show 51: The Hun embarked on a gentle spiral dive, designed to bring him on my tail.
1960		I. Fleming For Your Eyes Only (1962) 160: The old Hun again.
1976		H. Leonard Time Was (1981) Act II: Dagos, frogs, huns, niggers and wops.
1989		P. Manning ‘Sl.’ in Kray (1989) 63: The English are the Tommies, the Germans are the Hun, / So slang is a language to speak, you know, because it’s a lot of fun.
1999		Guardian Editor 16 July 6: Hating the Hun is perhaps the only thing that truly emulsifies the rest of us.
2012		Private Eye 27 July-9 Aug. 22/3: So welcome to you, Johnny, Frog, Jap and Hun.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 603: [B]right young xenophobes alert to her accent, cut her or mocked her or deprecated her: Hun, Bosch, Kraut, Gerry.

2. (Scot./Ulster) a Protestant; thus a supporter of Glasgow Rangers FC (trad. a Protestant team).

1993		I. Welsh Trainspotting 127: He’s intae aw this Orange stuff, this sortay Jambo/Hun gig.
1994		I. Welsh ‘A Smart Cunt’ in Acid House 206: He’s a fat, ugly, weedjie, soapdodging, orange-bigoted, hun bastard.
2001		I. Rankin Falls 104: Go on! Get right into that fat Hun bastard!
2001		I. Welsh Glue 73: That’s what we have tae dae: merge wi the Huns crowd.
2007		Coughlan et al. Irish Lang. and Culture 92: hun a derogatory term for a Protestant and/or Unionist, as they’re loyal to the Windsors, who were originally German.
2018		I. Welsh Dead Man’s Trousers [24]: I WON THIS FUCKING CUP! ME!! [...] — I PUT A FUCKING HEX ON THOSE HUN BASTARDS!!
2020		G. Armstrong Young Team 110: ‘[Y]a dirty hun cunts’.