bung

¹

[ buhng ]

noun

1. a stopper for the opening of a cask.
2. a bunghole.

verb (used with object)

1. to close with or as if with a bung; cork; plug (often followed by up ).

bung

²

[ buhng ]

adjective

, Australian.

1. out of order; unusable; broken.
2. bankrupt.
3. Slang. dead.

bung

³

[ buhng ]

verb (used with object)

1. to beat; bruise; maul (often followed by up ).
2. British Slang. to throw or shove carelessly or violently; sling.

bung

¹

/ bʌŋ /

noun

1. a stopper, esp of cork or rubber, for a cask, piece of laboratory glassware, etc
2. See bunghole
   short for bunghole

verb

1. often foll by up to close or seal with or as with a bung

   the car's exhaust was bunged up with mud

2. slang.
   to throw; sling

bung

²

/ bʌŋ /

adjective

1. useless
2. go bung
   go bung
   1. to fail or collapse
   2. to die

bung

³

/ bʌŋ /

noun

1. a gratuity; tip
2. a bribe

verb

1. bung it on
   bung it on tr to behave in a pretentious manner

Word History and Origins

Origin of bung¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English bunge “bung, bunghole,” from Middle Dutch bong(h)e “stopper”

Origin of bung²

First recorded in 1840–50; perhaps from Waga (an Australian Aboriginal language spoken around Kingaroy, southern Queensland) bongī “dead”

Origin of bung³

First recorded in 1815–25; originally Scots variant of bang ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of bung¹

C15: from Middle Dutch bonghe , from Late Latin puncta puncture

Origin of bung²

C19: from a native Australian language

Origin of bung³

C16 (originally in the sense: a purse): perhaps from Old English pung , changed over time through the influence of bung ¹

Example Sentences

Cleaning the winery, the team has located a mix of “completely smashed barrels, open bung barrels, and intact barrels.”

From The Daily Beast

This boast does not arouse Alfred's envy as he has friends in Brownsville who can drink out of the bung hole of a barrel.

From Project Gutenberg

So Uncle John put the great stoppers that they call bungs into the bung-holes in the kegs, so that the cider would not run out.

From Project Gutenberg

It is like milk in a pan, with no more motion now than there is in a full hogshead before the bung is started.

From Project Gutenberg

Den de bung-shells 'gun ter bus'; en I ax myse'f w'at dey shootin' at me fer, en I ain't never fin' out w'at make dey do it.

From Project Gutenberg

In the middle of the cellar lay a big barrel with an open bung-hole, but bound fast round with three iron hoops.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• blockade