plunge
plunge
/plʌndʒ/
+ adv./prep. She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death.
The train left the track and plunged down the embankment.
plunge somebody/something + adv./prep. The earthquake plunged entire towns over the edge of the cliffs.
He plunged from a tenth floor window.
The car plunged headlong into the river.
Collocations
adverb
preposition
phrases
plunge to your death
2 intransitive (of prices, temperatures, etc.) to decrease suddenly and quickly Stock markets plunged at the news of the coup.
This year profits plunged by 40 per cent.
3 intransitive + adv./prep. (of a road, surface, etc.) to slope down steeply The track plunged down into the valley.
The horse plunged and reared.
(figurative) His heart plunged (= because of a strong emotion).
Phrasal Verbs
Word Origin
late Middle English: from Old French plungier ‘thrust down’, based on Latin plumbum ‘lead, plummet’.
plunge
/plʌndʒ/
1 a sudden movement downwards or away from something
The calm water ends there and the river begins a headlong plunge.
a plunge to the ground
Collocations
adjective
verb + plunge
preposition
plunge into
plunge to
2 plunge (in something) a sudden decrease in an amount or the value of something
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
4 an act of jumping or diving into water; a quick swim
She went for a plunge.
We went straight from the hot room to take a cold plunge.
How did he survive his icy plunge?
She prepared to take the plunge into the cold waters of Lake Ontario.
Idioms