plunge

verb

/plʌnd͡ʒ/

Etymology

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

derived from plongier
derived from plungier
inherited from plungen

Definitions

1
To thrust into liquid, or into any penetrable substance
To thrust into liquid, or into any penetrable substance; to immerse.
- to plunge the body into water
- "Most of them don't wash. Those who do usually plunge their head into some brook or rill, if there happens to be one about."
2
To cast, stab or throw deep and fast into some thing, state, condition or action.
- to plunge a dagger into the breast
- to plunge a nation into war
- the city was plunged into darkness
To baptize by immersion.
›+ 13 more definitionsshow fewer
1. 4
  To dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid)
  To dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself.
  - he plunged into the river
2. 5
  To fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition.
  - to plunge into debt
  - to plunge into controversy
  - profits plunge 90%
3. To pitch or throw oneself headlong or violently forward, as a horse does.
4. To bet heavily and recklessly
  To bet heavily and recklessly; to risk large sums in gambling.
5. 8
  To entangle or embarrass (mostly used in past participle).
  - Plunged and gravelled with three lines of Seneca.
6. To overwhelm, overpower.
7. The act of plunging or submerging.
8. 11
  A dive, leap, rush, or pitch into (into water).
  - to take the water with a plunge
  - A plunge into the sea
9. A swimming pool.
10. The act of pitching or throwing oneself headlong or violently forward, like an unruly…
  The act of pitching or throwing oneself headlong or violently forward, like an unruly horse.
11. Heavy and reckless betting in horse racing
  Heavy and reckless betting in horse racing; hazardous speculation.
12. An immersion in difficulty, embarrassment, or distress
  An immersion in difficulty, embarrassment, or distress; the condition of being surrounded or overwhelmed; a strait; difficulty.
13. 16
  To remove a blockage by suction.
  - to plunge a toilet

The neighborhood

Derived

implunge, plungeable, plunge bath, plunge bra, plunge in, plunge into, plunge pool, plunge waterfall, polar bear plunge, replunge, take the plunge, unplunge, unplunged, bus plunge

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at plunge. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

A definitional loop anchored at plunge. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

5 hops · closes at plunge

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA