chunk

¹

[chuhngk]

noun

1. a thick mass or lump of anything.

   a chunk of bread;

   a chunk of firewood.

   Synonyms: gob, wad, piece, hunk

2. Informal.,  a thick-set and strong person.

3. a strong and stoutly built horse or other animal.

4. a substantial amount of something.

   Rent is a real chunk out of my pay.

verb (used with object)

1. to cut, break, or form into chunks.

   Chunk that wedge of cheese and put the pieces on a plate.

2. to remove a chunk or chunks from (often followed byout ).

   Storms have chunked out the road.

verb (used without object)

1. to form, give off, or disintegrate into chunks.

   My tires have started to chunk.

chunk

²

[chuhngk]

verb (used with object)

South Midland and Southern U.S.

1. to toss or throw; chuck.

   chunking pebbles at the barn door.

2. to make or rekindle (a fire) by adding wood, coal, etc., or by stoking (sometimes followed byup ).

chunk

/ tʃʌŋk /

noun

1. a thick solid piece, as of meat, wood, etc

2. a considerable amount

Word History and Origins

Origin of chunk¹

First recorded in 1685–95; nasalized variant of chuck ²

Origin of chunk²

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; perhaps nasalized variant of chuck ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of chunk¹

C17: variant of _chuck ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. blow chunks, to vomit.

Example Sentences

“But you’ve got one life and you just committed a serious chunk to it. That makes it pretty f— personal.”

From Los Angeles Times

His all-American good looks couldn't be ignored: Redford was once described as "a chunk of Mount Rushmore levered into stonewashed denims".

From BBC

But the back wall of Dmytro's house still has chunks torn out of it by shrapnel and the lawn was only just repaired where Russian troops had parked a tank.

From BBC

A chunk of child-care funding is among the casualties of the lower tax revenue.

From Los Angeles Times

Hopes are high that tourists will come back to be transported to Oz, even at a ticket price that costs a chunk of the family farm.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• block 
• dollop 
• hunk 
• lump 
• piece 
• portion 
• wad