From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Plunge \Plunge\, v. 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; 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.
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Bound and plunged him into a cell. --Tennyson.
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We shall be plunged into perpetual errors. --I.
Watts.
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2. To baptize by immersion.
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3. To entangle; to embarrass; to overcome. [Obs.]
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Plunged and graveled with three lines of Seneca.
--Sir T.
Browne.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Plunge \Plunge\, n.
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.
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2. Hence, a desperate hazard or act; a state of being
submerged or overwhelmed with difficulties. [R.]
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She was brought to that plunge, to conceal her
husband's murder or accuse her son. --Sir P.
Sidney.
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And with thou not reach out a friendly arm,
To raise me from amidst this plunge of sorrows?
--Addison.
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3. The act of pitching or throwing one's self headlong or
violently forward, like an unruly horse.
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4. Heavy and reckless betting in horse racing; hazardous
speculation. [Cant]
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{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or withdrawn from, the exciting liquid at pleasure.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Plunge \Plunge\, v. 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
plunged into the river. Also used figuratively; as, to
plunge into debt.
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Forced to plunge naked in the raging sea. --Dryden.
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To plunge into guilt of a murther. --Tillotson.
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2. To pitch or throw one's self headlong or violently
forward, as a horse does.
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Some wild colt, which . . . flings and plunges.
--Bp. Hall.
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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]
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{Plunging fire} (Gun.), firing directed upon an enemy from an
elevated position.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
plunge
n 1: a brief swim in water [syn: {dip}, {plunge}]
2: a steep and rapid fall
v 1: thrust or throw into; "Immerse yourself in hot water" [syn:
{immerse}, {plunge}]
2: drop steeply; "the stock market plunged" [syn: {dive},
{plunge}, {plunk}]
3: dash violently or with great speed or impetuosity; "She
plunged at it eagerly"
4: begin with vigor; "He launched into a long diatribe"; "She
plunged into a dangerous adventure" [syn: {plunge}, {launch}]
5: cause to be immersed; "The professor plunged his students
into the study of the Italian text" [syn: {plunge},
{immerse}]
6: fall abruptly; "It plunged to the bottom of the well" [syn:
{plunge}, {dump}]
7: immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or
saturate; "dip the garment into the cleaning solution"; "dip
the brush into the paint" [syn: {dunk}, {dip}, {souse},
{plunge}, {douse}]
8: devote (oneself) fully to; "He immersed himself into his
studies" [syn: {steep}, {immerse}, {engulf}, {plunge},
{engross}, {absorb}, {soak up}]
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