plunge

Use plunge in a sentence

A boy about to plunge into the ocean for a swim.

noun

The definition of a plunge is a place for swimming or an act of diving or jumping into an activity.
An example of a plunge is jumping right into learning how to scuba dive.

verb

Plunge is defined as to dive, thrust or go into something, usually with force or speed.
An example of to plunge is to jump into the ocean for a swim.

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"plunge." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/plunge>.

APA Style

plunge. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/plunge

plunge

transitive verb

plunged, plung′ing

to thrust, throw, or force suddenly (into a liquid, hole, condition, etc.): to plunge an oar into the water, to plunge a country into debt

Origin of plunge

Middle English plungen from Old French plongier from Vulgar Latin an unverified form plumbicare from Classical Latin plumbum, lead: see plumb

to throw oneself, dive, or rush, as into water, a fight, etc.
to move violently and rapidly downward or forward
to pitch, as a ship
to slope steeply, as a road
to extend far down in a revealing way: a plunging neckline or back
to fall off or decline precipitously
Informal to spend, gamble, or speculate heavily or rashly

1. a dive or downward leap
2. a swim
any steep and rapid descent
a place for plunging, or swimming
Informal a heavy, rash investment or speculation

plunge Idioms

take the plunge

Informal to start on a new and seemingly uncertain enterprise, esp. after some hesitation

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Link to this page

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MLA Style

"plunge." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/plunge>.

APA Style

plunge. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/plunge

plunge

verb

plunged, plung·ing, plung·es

verb

intransitive

a. To dive, jump, or throw oneself: We plunged into the lake.
b. To fall rapidly: The car went off the road and plunged into the gully.
To devote oneself to or undertake an activity earnestly or wholeheartedly: I plunged into my studies. She plunged ahead with her plan.
To enter or move headlong through something: The hunting dogs plunged into the forest.
To slope steeply downward: a cliff that plunges to the sea.
To move forward and downward violently: The ship plunged through rough seas.
To become suddenly lower; decrease dramatically: Stock prices plunged during the banking crisis.

verb

transitive

To thrust or throw forcefully into a substance or place: plunged the eggs into the hot water; plunged the fork into the potato.
To cast suddenly, violently, or deeply into a given state or situation: “The street was plunged in cool shadow” ( Richard Wright )
To use a plunger to try to unblock (a drain, for example).

noun

The act or an instance of plunging: a plunge off the dock.
A swim; a dip.
A sudden or dramatic decline: a plunge in prices.

Origin of plunge

Middle English plungen from Old French plongier from Vulgar Latin plumbicāre to heave a sounding lead from Latin plumbum lead

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"plunge." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/plunge>.

APA Style

plunge. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/plunge

Noun

(plural plunges)

the act of plunging or submerging
a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into (into water)
to take the water with a plunge
plunge in the sea
(figuratively) the act of pitching or throwing one's self headlong or violently forward, like an unruly horse
(slang) heavy and reckless betting in horse racing; hazardous speculation

Verb

(third-person singular simple present plunges, present participle plunging, simple past and past participle plunged)

To thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse.
to plunge the body into water
(figuratively) To cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action.
to plunge a dagger into the breast; to plunge a nation into war
(intransitive) To dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge one's self.
he plunged into the river
(figuratively, intransitive) To fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition.
to plunge into debt; to plunge into controversy
(intransitive) To pitch or throw one's self headlong or violently forward, as a horse does.
(intransitive, slang) To bet heavily and with seeming recklessness on a race, or other contest; in an extended sense, to risk large sums in hazardous speculations.

Origin

From Middle English plungen, ploungen, Anglo-Norman plungier, from Old French plonger, (Modern French plonger), from unattested Late Latin frequentative *plumbicare (“to throw a leaded line"), from Latin plumbum (“lead"). Compare plumb, plounce.