“plunging” is a form of
plunge
/plʌnd͡ʒ/ verb, noun, proper noun
Forms plunges plunging plunged
- verb (transitive) To thrust into liquid, or into any penetrable substance; to immerse. “to plunge the body into water”
- verb (figuratively, transitive) To cast, stab or throw deep and fast into some thing, state, condition or action. “to plunge a dagger into the breast”
- verb (transitive, obsolete) To baptize by immersion.
- verb (intransitive) To dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself. “he plunged into the river”
- verb (figuratively, intransitive) To fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition. “to plunge into debt”
- verb (intransitive) To pitch or throw oneself headlong or violently forward, as a horse does.
- verb (intransitive, slang) To bet heavily and recklessly; to risk large sums in gambling.
- verb (intransitive, obsolete) To entangle or embarrass (mostly used in past participle).
- noun The act of plunging or submerging.
- noun A dive, leap, rush, or pitch into (into water). “to take the water with a plunge”
- noun (dated) A swimming pool.
- noun (figuratively) The act of pitching or throwing oneself headlong or violently forward, like an unruly horse.
- noun (slang) Heavy and reckless betting in horse racing; hazardous speculation.
- noun (obsolete) An immersion in difficulty, embarrassment, or distress; the condition of being surrounded or overwhelmed; a strait; difficulty.
- verb (transitive) To remove a blockage by suction. “to plunge a toilet”
- proper noun A city and municipality of Telšiai, Lithuania.
Synonyms
slump plunger dip immerse dive plunk launch dump dunk souse douse steep engulf engross absorb soak up
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.
Back-formation from plunger.
From Lithuanian Plungė.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse; to cause to penetrate or enter quickly and forcibly; to thrust; as, to plunge the body into water; to plunge a dagger into the breast. Also used figuratively; as, to plunge a nation into war. "To plunge the boy in pleasing sleep." Dryden.
- verb To baptize by immersion.
- verb 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 plunged into the river. Also used figuratively; as, to plunge into debt.
- verb To pitch or throw one's self headlong or violently forward, as a horse does.
Etymology [OE. ploungen, OF. plongier, F. plonger, fr. (assumed) LL. plumbicare, fr. L. plumbum lead. See Plumb.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “plunge”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details