plunge

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /plʌnd͡ʒ/ See IPA manual

Freq #12423

Meanings

1

verb
To jump or dive suddenly into water or a deep place.

He plunged into the cold river to cool off.
2

verb
To fall or drop suddenly and steeply.

The stock market plunged after the bad news.
3

verb
To push something deep into something else.

She plunged the knife into the thick cake.
4

verb
To suddenly enter a difficult state or situation.

The country plunged into chaos after the election.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to fall or drop suddenly... dive dump

4 verb · to suddenly enter a... slump

Word family

Forms plungedplungesplunging

Derived forms implungeplungeablereplungeunplungeunplunged

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.

plungen Middle English plungier xno plongier Old French

View etymology graph ->

External links

# plunge

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /plʌnd͡ʒ/
**Frequency rank:** 12423

## Meanings
1. To jump or dive suddenly into water or a deep place.
2. To fall or drop suddenly and steeply.
3. To push something deep into something else.
4. To suddenly enter a difficult state or situation.

## Examples
- He plunged into the cold river to cool off.
- The stock market plunged after the bad news.
- She plunged the knife into the thick cake.
- The country plunged into chaos after the election.

## Derived Forms
- implunge
- plungeable
- replunge
- unplunge
- unplunged

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: plungen
- Root: plungier
- Root: plongier

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Plunge is 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. In present-day use, it can mean to jump or dive suddenly into water or a deep place, or to fall or drop suddenly and steeply. Derived formations include implunge, plungeable, replunge, unplunge, and unplunged.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Verbs of Movement

markdown

plunge

Meanings

Thesaurus

Etymology

Topics

External links

Keyboard Shortcuts

General

Send feedback