From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishplungeplunge1 /plʌndʒ/ ●○○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition]DOWNFALL to move, fall, or be thrown suddenly forwards or downwardsplunge off/into etc Her car swerved and plunged off the cliff. Both the climbers had plunged to their deaths.2 [intransitive]LESS if a price, rate etc plunges, it suddenly decreases by a large amount The unemployment rate plunged sharply.plunge to Oil prices have plunged to a new low. In the recession, the company’s profits plunged 60%.3 [intransitive]UPDOWN literary if a ship plunges, it moves violently up and down because of big waves► see thesaurus at decrease → plunge in → plunge (somebody/something) into something→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
plunge• Fastenal plunged 4 to 38 on Nasdaq.• Many Conservatives still recalled the disarray into which the Macmillan administration had plunged after its striking election victory in 1959.• Plunging both hands deep into the sack she rummaged among the parcels.• The President's popularity has plunged dramatically in recent weeks.• In addition to investor skittishness over the impeachment threat, the technology sector plunged for the third consecutive day.• She plunged herself into her writing.• Thomas plunged his arm deep into the creature's mouth and then forced his fist upwards through the larynx.• I plunged in fully-clothed and pulled her to the river bank.• The two women sat down in a corner and plunged into an animated conversation.• These are rocket-shaped projectiles loaded with vitrified waste, and dumped from ships to plunge into soft sediments on the ocean floor.• Colin plunged into the icy water.• The aeroplane's engines failed and it plunged into the ocean.• Three men left the truck and plunged into the woods.• Their car swerved to avoid a truck, and plunged off the cliff.• Then he plunged the knife into his victim's chest.• As the sun shrank the ledge, he waited to plunge to his death into a crevasse.• A skydiver plunged to his death yesterday when his parachute failed to open.• Witnesses recalled a clap of wood and the sight of Bailey plunging toward the ground, then his dangling body spinning hard.• Concern that White House and congressional negotiators were unable to reach an agreement to balance the budget helped send stocks plunging yesterday.plunge off/into etc• There's still another shoe to drop on whether they can survive the maelstrom of pressures that they've just plunged into.• Women are eager to plunge into adventure and the unknown.• People smart enough to plunge into bond funds last year are probably feeling pretty good.• Just as the teacher was getting into her stride, the whole school was plunged into darkness.• Two years later, Marianne remarried and Matthew plunged into depression.• I felt as though I were plunging into something new and quite abnormal.• The only course was to plunge into the close-set thickets where riders could not follow. and run for the Severn.• It was also among the first to plunge into the Internet fray.plungeplunge2 noun 1 → take the plunge2 [countable]LESS a sudden large decrease in the price, value etc of somethingplunge in a dramatic plunge in house prices3 [countable usually singular]DOWN a sudden movement down or forwards The plane began a headlong plunge towards the Earth.4 [countable usually singular] when someone suddenly becomes involved in something newplunge into his sudden plunge into marriage5 [countable usually singular]JUMP a jump or dive into water, or a quick swimplunge in/into a quick plunge in the lakeExamples from the Corpus
plunge• There has been a 10% plunge in stock prices.• What if he were to be punished for his vengeance by a plunge into the nerve-glove?• a plunge in the lake• She continued to eke out a living based on the fading memories of her famous plunge.• The worst postwar bear market struck in 1973-1974, a Dow Jones plunge of 45 percent.• Instead, Greenspan welcomed the stock plunge, saying it had chilled an overheated market.• Myers was severely injured in the plunge from the top of the hotel.• She looked towards the Archdeacon and recognised the signs of some one about to take the plunge.• Inspired by the Sixties, we asked a few brave souls to take the plunge and dress up like latter-day Twiggys.plunge in/into• Try a bracing dash up to the pool, followed by a plunge into the deep end.• Burt plunged into the river fully clothed to save the boy.• Anxious to pursue this issue to its roots, Coleridge plunges into six chapters of philosophical enquiry.• It was an omen, but Margo and Duke plunged in.• Then he plunged in, and when he saw he was correct, punched the air with a raised left hand.• Two years later, Marianne remarried and Matthew plunged into depression.• Yet they plunged into battle ready to sustain frightful casualties.• Neither President Clinton nor Bob Dole cares to plunge into that particular contentious thicket these days.• He is a man whose emotions are close to the surface, and who plunges into profound troughs.From Longman Business Dictionaryplungeplunge1 /plʌndʒ/ verb [intransitive, transitive] journalism to suddenly and quickly go down in value or amountSYNPLUMMETStock prices plunged again yesterday.The company’s shares plunged 33% in a single day. → plunge into→ See Verb tableplungeplunge2 noun journalism1[countable usually singular] a sudden large fall in a price, value, or rateSYNPLUMMETplunge inThe plunge in oil prices led to losses of about $50 million.2take the plunge to finally decide to take a risk, especially after delaying it for a long timeAdvertisers are studying the new technology with interest, but most have yet to take the plunge.Origin plunge1 (1300-1400) Old French plongier, from Vulgar Latin plumbicare, from Latin plumbum “lead” 