plunk

[pluhngk]

verb (used with object)

1. to pluck (a stringed instrument or its strings); twang.

   to plunk a guitar.

2. to throw, push, put, drop, etc., heavily or suddenly; plump (often followed bydown ).

   Plunk down your money. She plunked herself down on the seat.

3. to push, shove, toss, etc. (sometimes followed by in, over, etc.).

   to plunk the ball over the net; to plunk a pencil into a drawer.

verb (used without object)

1. to give forth a twanging sound.

2. to drop heavily or suddenly; plump (often followed bydown ).

   to plunk down somewhere and take a nap.

noun

1. act or sound of plunking.

2. Informal.,  a direct, forcible blow.

3. Slang.,  a dollar.

adverb

1. Informal.,  with a plunking sound.

2. Informal.,  squarely; exactly.

   The tennis ball landed plunk in the middle of the net.

plunk

/ plʌŋk /

verb

1. to pluck (the strings) of (a banjo, harp, etc) or (of such an instrument) to give forth a sound when plucked

2. (often foll by down) to drop or be dropped, esp heavily or suddenly

noun

1. the act or sound of plunking

2. informal,  a hard blow

interjection

1. an exclamation imitative of the sound of something plunking

adverb

1. informal,  exactly; squarely

   plunk into his lap

Word History and Origins

Origin of plunk¹

First recorded in 1760–70; expressive word akin to pluck

Word History and Origins

Origin of plunk¹

C20: imitative

Example Sentences

They glided over the pasture and plunked down into the pond.

Read more on Literature

Years of frugality tugged at my brain, but I plunked down her credit card for the better mattress.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In Disney’s new “Monsters, Inc.” it’s a joke when the film briefly plunks down in Paris and there’s accordion music playing — that’s our movie-fed idea of Paris.

Read more on Salon

The spurs are stripped from the boots and Stone is plunked onto the sheep.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The seventh episode, “They Wanna Have Fun,” plunks down loud hints that Michael Patrick King and his writers will soon be correcting the show’s Aidan affliction and possibly replacing it with a new malady.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• plop