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take the plunge

take the plunge
T t

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [teyk stressed th ee pluhnj]
    • /teɪk stressed ði plʌndʒ/
    • /teɪk ðə plʌndʒ/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [teyk stressed th ee pluhnj]
    • /teɪk stressed ði plʌndʒ/

Definitions of take the plunge words

  • verb with object take the plunge to cast or thrust forcibly or suddenly into something, as a liquid, a penetrable substance, a place, etc.; immerse; submerge: to plunge a dagger into one's heart. 1
  • verb with object take the plunge to bring suddenly or forcibly into some condition, situation, etc.: to plunge a country into war; to pull a switch and plunge a house into darkness. 1
  • verb with object take the plunge Horticulture. to place (a potted plant) up to its rim in soil or in certain other materials, as sand or moss. 1
  • verb with object take the plunge Surveying. to transit (the telescope of a transit or theodolite). 1
  • verb without object take the plunge to cast oneself, or fall as if cast, into water, a hole, etc. 1
  • verb without object take the plunge to rush or dash with headlong haste: to plunge through a crowd. 1
See all 22 definitions of take the plunge

Information block about the term

Origin of take the plunge

First appearance:

before 1325
One of the 16% oldest English words
1325-75; Middle English < Middle French plung(i)er ≪ Vulgar Latin *plumbicāre to heave the lead. See plumb

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Take the plunge

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Take the plunge

take the plunge popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 97% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

take the plunge usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for take the plunge

verb take the plunge

  • break ground — to do something that has not been done before
  • break the ice — to relieve shyness or reserve, esp between strangers
  • bring forward — If you bring forward a meeting or event, you arrange for it to take place at an earlier date or time than had been planned.
  • cross the rubicon — If you say that someone has crossed the Rubicon, you mean that they have reached a point where they cannot change a decision or course of action.
  • fall into — to drop or descend under the force of gravity, as to a lower place through loss or lack of support.
All 13 Synonyms of take the plunge

See also

Matching words

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