dunk

American  

[duhngk] / dʌŋk /

verb (used with object)

1. to dip (a doughnut, cake, etc.) into coffee, milk, or the like, before eating.

2. to submerge in a liquid.

   She dunked the curtains in the dye.

3. Basketball. to attempt to thrust (a ball) through the basket using a dunk shot.

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verb (used without object)

1. to dip or submerge something, oneself, etc., in a liquid.

   She thinks it's vulgar to dunk. Let's dunk in the pool before dinner.

2. Basketball. to execute or attempt a dunk shot.

noun

1. any flavorful sauce, dip, gravy, etc., into which portions of food are dipped before eating.

2. Basketball. dunk shot.

dunk British  

/ dʌŋk /

verb

1. to dip (bread, etc) in tea, soup, etc, before eating

2. to submerge or be submerged in liquid

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Usage

What does dunk mean? Dunk means to dip or submerge something in liquid or something like a liquid.More specifically, it can refer to dipping foods into liquids or sauces or dips, like dunking a doughnut into coffee before eating it (but not for so long that it gets too soggy and part of it falls in—it’s a delicate process).In basketball, to dunk is to put the ball directly into the hoop, especially forcefully (this kind of dunking is the opposite of delicate). Such a shot is called a dunk or a slam-dunk or a slam or a jam or a stuff or a throw-down (or even more colorful names, if you’re Darryl Dawkins).Example: I like to dunk my fries into the milkshake—don’t knock it till you try it.

Other Word Forms

• dunkable adjective
• dunker noun

Etymology

Origin of dunk

An Americanism first recorded in 1865–70; from Pennsylvania Dutch dunke “to dip, immerse”; compare German tunken, Middle High German dunken, tunken, Old High German thunkōn, dunkōn

Example Sentences

He elevated the dunk to an art form at a time when it was banned in the college game.

From The Wall Street Journal

She rips open the package of Oreos and dunks one into her glass of milk until it’s sopping wet.

From Literature

The slam dunk contest, with a two-round format featuring four contestants, will cap Saturday’s festivities.

From Los Angeles Times

After Reaves scored, Kennard showed off his passing skills, finding Jarred Vanderbilt under the basket for a dunk.

From Los Angeles Times

A combined two-dunk score will decide which two of the four players advance to the final round, with combined scores from two more dunks determining a champion.

From Barron's

Related Words

• douse
• soak