Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Plunge
Plunge
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Plunged
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Plunging
.] [OE.
ploungen
, OF. plongier
, F. plonger
, fr. (assumed) LL. plumbicare
, fr. L. plumbum
lead. See Plumb
.] 1.
To thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse; to cause to penetrate or enter quickly and forcibly; to thrust;
“To plunge the boy in pleasing sleep.” as, to
. Also used figuratively; plunge
the body into water; to plunge
a dagger into the breastas, to
. plunge
a nation into warDryden.
Bound and
plunged
him into a cell. Tennyson.
We shall be
plunged
into perpetual errors. I. Watts.
2.
To baptize by immersion.
3.
To entangle; to embarrass; to overcome.
[Obs.]
Plunged
and graveled with three lines of Seneca. Sir T. Browne.
Plunge
,Verb.
I.
1.
To thrust or cast one’s self into water or other fluid; to submerge one's self; to dive, or to rush in;
as, he
. Also used figuratively; plunged
into the riveras, to
. plunge
into debtForced to
plunge
naked in the raging sea. Dryden.
To
plunge
into guilt of a murther. Tillotson.
2.
To pitch or throw one's self headlong or violently forward, as a horse does.
Some wild colt, which . . . flings and
plunges
. Bp. Hall.
3.
To bet heavily and with seeming recklessness on a race, or other contest; in an extended sense, to risk large sums in hazardous speculations.
[Cant]
Plunging fire
(Gun.)
, firing directed upon an enemy from an elevated position.
Plunge
,Noun.
1.
The act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water;
as, to take the water with a
. plunge
2.
Hence, a desperate hazard or act; a state of being submerged or overwhelmed with difficulties.
[R.]
She was brought to that
plunge
, to conceal her husband's murder or accuse her son. Sir P. Sidney.
And with thou not reach out a friendly arm,
To raise me from amidst this
To raise me from amidst this
plunge
of sorrows? Addison.
3.
The act of pitching or throwing one's self headlong or violently forward, like an unruly horse.
4.
Heavy and reckless betting in horse racing; hazardous speculation.
[Cant]
Plunge bath
, an immersion by plunging; also, a large bath in which the bather can wholly immerse himself.
– Plunge battery
, or
plunging battery
(Elec.)
, a voltaic battery so arranged that the plates can be plunged into, or withdrawn from, the exciting liquid at pleasure.
Webster 1828 Edition
Plunge
PLUNGE
, v.t.1.
To thrust into water or other fluid substance, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse in a fluid; to drive into flesh, mire or earth, &c.; as, to plunge the body in water; to plunge the arm into fire or flame; to plunge a dagger into the breast.2.
To thrust or drive into any state in which the thing is considered as enveloped or surrounded; as, to plunge one's self into difficulties or distress; to plunge a nation into war.3.
To baptize by immersion.PLUNGE
,Verb.
I.
The troops plunged into the stream.
His courser plung'd,
And threw him off; the waves whelm'd over him.
1.
To fall or rush into distress or any state or circumstances in which the person or thing is enveloped, inclosed or overwhelmed; as, to plunge into a gulf; to plunge into debt or embarrassments; to plunge into war; a body of cavalry plunged into the midst of the enemy.2.
To pitch or throw one's self headlong.PLUNGE
,Noun.
1.
Difficulty; strait; distress; a state of being surrounded or overwhelmed with difficulties. People when put to a plunge, cry out to heaven for help.
And wilt thou not reach out a friendly arm,
To raise me from amidst this plunge of sorrow?
[In this sense, the word is now little used.]
Definition 2024
plunge
plunge
English
Noun
plunge (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
- (dated) A swimming pool
- (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
- (obsolete) an immersion in difficulty, embarrassment, or distress; the condition of being surrounded or overwhelmed; a strait; difficulty
Translations
The act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
Verb
plunge (third-person singular simple present plunges, present participle plunging, simple past and past participle plunged)
- (transitive) To thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse.
- to plunge the body into water
- (figuratively, transitive) To cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action.
- to plunge a dagger into the breast; to plunge a nation into war
- (transitive, obsolete) To baptize by immersion.
- (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
- 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 8, in The Celebrity:
- The day was cool and snappy for August, and the Rise all green with a lavish nature. Now we plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacing each other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the cold trout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet: […] .
- 1989, David Gale, The Theory of Linear Economic Models:
- Before asking the reader to plunge into the subject of linear models I shall, in accordance with a sensible custom, attempt in the few pages which follow to give some idea of what this subject is.
- (intransitive) To pitch or throw one's self headlong or violently forward, as a horse does.
- Joseph Hall (1574-1656)
- some wild colt, which […] flings and plunges
- Joseph Hall (1574-1656)
- (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.
- (intransitive, obsolete) To entangle or embarrass (mostly used in past participle).
- Thomas Browne (1605-1682)
- Plunged and gravelled with three lines of Seneca.
- Thomas Browne (1605-1682)
- (intransitive, obsolete) To overwhelm, overpower.
Translations
to thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
|
(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge one's self
(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
|
(intransitive) to pitch or throw one's self headlong or violently forward, as a horse does
|
Anagrams
References
- plunge in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- “plunge”, in OED Online, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.