Library / English Dictionary

PLUNGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A brief swim in water

Synonyms:

dip; plunge

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("plunge" is a kind of...):

swim; swimming (the act of swimming)

Derivation:

plunge (immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate)

plunge (thrust or throw into)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A steep and rapid fall

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("plunge" is a kind of...):

drop; fall (a free and rapid descent by the force of gravity)

Derivation:

plunge (drop steeply)

plunge (fall abruptly)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Begin with vigor

Example:

She plunged into a dangerous adventure

Synonyms:

launch; plunge

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "plunge" is one way to...):

begin; commence; get; get down; set about; set out; start; start out (take the first step or steps in carrying out an action)

Verb group:

plunge (dash violently or with great speed or impetuosity)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Devote (oneself) fully to

Example:

He immersed himself into his studies

Synonyms:

absorb; engross; engulf; immerse; plunge; soak up; steep

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "plunge" is one way to...):

center; centre; concentrate; focus; pore; rivet (direct one's attention on something)

Verb group:

immerse; plunge (cause to be immersed)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "plunge"):

drink; drink in (be fascinated or spell-bound by; pay close attention to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cause to be immersed

Example:

The professor plunged his students into the study of the Italian text

Synonyms:

immerse; plunge

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Cause:

absorb; engross; engulf; immerse; plunge; soak up; steep (devote (oneself) fully to)

Verb group:

absorb; engross; engulf; immerse; plunge; soak up; steep (devote (oneself) fully to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 4

Meaning:

Immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate

Example:

dip the brush into the paint

Synonyms:

dip; douse; dunk; plunge; souse

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "plunge" is one way to...):

immerse; plunge (thrust or throw into)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "plunge"):

sop (dip into liquid)

dip; douse; duck (dip into a liquid)

dabble (dip a foot or hand briefly into a liquid)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

plunge (a brief swim in water)

plunger (hand tool consisting of a stick with a rubber suction cup at one end; used to clean clogged drains)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Thrust or throw into

Example:

Immerse yourself in hot water

Synonyms:

immerse; plunge

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "plunge" is one way to...):

penetrate; perforate (pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "plunge"):

dip; dunk (dip into a liquid while eating)

dip; douse; dunk; plunge; souse (immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate)

dip (plunge (one's hand or a receptacle) into a container)

dip (immerse in a disinfectant solution)

submerge; submerse (put under water)

soak (submerge in a liquid)

sheathe (plunge or bury (a knife or sword) in flesh)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

They plunge the object in the water

Derivation:

plunge (a brief swim in water)

plunger (mechanical device that has a plunging or thrusting motion)

plunger (hand tool consisting of a stick with a rubber suction cup at one end; used to clean clogged drains)

plunger (someone who dives (into water))

Sense 6

Meaning:

Dash violently or with great speed or impetuosity

Example:

She plunged at it eagerly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "plunge" is one way to...):

dart; dash; flash; scoot; scud; shoot (run or move very quickly or hastily)

Verb group:

launch; plunge (begin with vigor)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 7

Meaning:

Drop steeply

Example:

the stock market plunged

Synonyms:

dive; plunge; plunk

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "plunge" is one way to...):

come down; descend; fall; go down (move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way)

Verb group:

dump; plunge (fall abruptly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "plunge"):

power-dive (make a power dive)

nosedive (plunge nose first; drop with the nose or front first, of aircraft)

duck (submerge or plunge suddenly)

crash-dive (descend steeply and rapidly)

chute; jump; parachute (jump from an airplane and descend with a parachute)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence examples:

The stock market is going to plunge

The airplane is sure to plunge

Derivation:

plunge (a steep and rapid fall)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Fall abruptly

Example:

It plunged to the bottom of the well

Synonyms:

dump; plunge

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "plunge" is one way to...):

drop (to fall vertically)

Verb group:

dive; plunge; plunk (drop steeply)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

plunge (a steep and rapid fall)

plunger (someone who dives (into water))

Credits

 Context examples: 

The yellow cog had now shot out from the narrow waters of the Solent, and was plunging and rolling on the long heave of the open channel.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I plunged instantly into my subject.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sir Lothian has been plunging also—he made a single bye-bet of five thousand to three upon Wilson in Limmer’s yesterday.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The bow plunged down, just missing me and sending a swash of water clear over my head.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The operation was performed amidst the fiercest yells and the most convulsive plunges.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

He will, most likely, give a plunge or two, and perhaps take the rest for a minute; but he will soon know his master.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

But after the 2060s, river flows will substantially plunge.

(Bulk of Himalayan glaciers could vanish by 2100, SciDev.Net)

So he jumped in; splash! went the water; it sounded as if he were calling them, and the whole crowd plunged in after him as one man.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Then suddenly he plunged forward, wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly on my success.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He plunged his arm in up to the shoulder, but it eluded him.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)