- 1[intransitive, transitive] to move or make somebody/something move suddenly forwards and/or downwards + 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. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbahead, back, downwards/downward, … prepositiondown, from, into, … phrasesplunge to your death See full entry
- 2[intransitive] (of prices, temperatures, etc.) to decrease suddenly and quickly synonym plummet Stock markets plunged at the news of the coup. This year profits plunged by 40%.
- 3[intransitive] + adv./prep. (of a road, surface, etc.) to slope down steeply The track plunged down into the valley.
- 4[intransitive] to move up and down suddenly and violently The horse plunged and reared. (figurative) His heart plunged (= because of a strong emotion). Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French plungier ‘thrust down’, based on Latin plumbum ‘lead, plummet’.Extra examples A climber plunged 300 feet to his death. City officials are plunging ahead with plans for a new convention center. He plunged from a tenth floor window. She plunged straight into her story. The bus came off the road and plunged down an embankment. The car had plunged off the road. The car plunged headlong into the river. Phrasal Verbsplunge inplunge into
plunge
verbBrE BrE//plʌndʒ//; NAmE NAmE//plʌndʒ//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they plunge BrE BrE//plʌndʒ//; NAmE NAmE//plʌndʒ//
he / she / it plunges BrE BrE//ˈplʌndʒɪz//; NAmE NAmE//ˈplʌndʒɪz//
past simple plunged BrE BrE//plʌndʒd//; NAmE NAmE//plʌndʒd//
past participle plunged BrE BrE//plʌndʒd//; NAmE NAmE//plʌndʒd//
-ing form plunging BrE BrE//ˈplʌndʒɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈplʌndʒɪŋ//
Check pronunciation: plunge
