plunge noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

Definition of plunge noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

plunge

noun
 
/plʌndʒ/
 
/plʌndʒ/
[usually singular]Idioms
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  1. a sudden movement downwards or away from something synonym drop
    • The calm water ends there and the river begins a headlong plunge.
    • a plunge to the ground
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • cold
    • downward
    • headlong
    verb + plunge
    • survive
    • take
    preposition
    • plunge into
    • plunge to
    See full entry
  2. plunge (in something) a sudden decrease in an amount or the value of something synonym dropTopics Change, cause and effectc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • cold
    • downward
    • headlong
    verb + plunge
    • survive
    • take
    preposition
    • plunge into
    • plunge to
    See full entry
  3. plunge into something the act of becoming involved in a situation or activity
    • The company is planning a deeper plunge into the commercial market.
    • his headlong plunge into shame and hypocrisy
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • cold
    • downward
    • headlong
    verb + plunge
    • survive
    • take
    preposition
    • plunge into
    • plunge to
    See full entry
  4. an act of jumping or diving into water; a quick swim
    • She went for a plunge.
    • Fanatics went straight from the hot room to take a cold plunge.
    Extra Examples
    • How did he survive his icy plunge?
    • She prepared to take the plunge into the cold waters of Lake Ontario.
    Topics Sports: water sportsc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • cold
    • downward
    • headlong
    verb + plunge
    • survive
    • take
    preposition
    • plunge into
    • plunge to
    See full entry
  5. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French plungier ‘thrust down’, based on Latin plumbum ‘lead, plummet’.
Idioms
take the plunge
  1. (informal) to decide to do something important or difficult, especially after thinking about it for a long time
    • They finally decided to take the plunge and get married.
    • He finally took the plunge and gave in his notice.
See plunge in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
indeed
adverb
 
 
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