EXAMPLES | WORD ORIGIN
noun the action of plunging or being plunged into water or other liquid: Learning to canoe cost her several dunkings.
Origin of dunking First recorded in
1915–20; dunk +
-ing1 verb (used with object) to dip (a doughnut, cake, etc.) into coffee, milk, or the like, before eating.
to submerge in a liquid: She dunked the curtains in the dye.
Basketball to attempt to thrust (a ball) through the basket using a dunk shot . Show More
verb (used without object) 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.
Basketball to execute or attempt a dunk shot . Show More
noun any flavorful sauce, dip, gravy, etc., into which portions of food are dipped before eating.
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Origin of dunk 1865–70, Americanism Pennsylvania German dunke to dip, immerse; compare German tunken, Middle High German dunken, tunken, Old High German thunkōn, dunkōn
Related forms dunk·a·ble , adjective, noun dunk·er , noun Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for dunking Contemporary Examples of dunking Sen. Paul has been getting a dunking in the media for his flip-flops on foreign policy.
“Dunking does not display basketball skill - only height advantage,” Allen wrote in his 1937 book Better Basketball.
Historical Examples of dunking More men were ranged in rows along the plastered walls, dunking their heels against the cracked wooden baseboards.
This is a breakfast treat especially good for dunking in coffee.
The dunking is done as rhythmically as the stirring, guests taking regular turns at twirling the fork to keep the cheese swirling.
When everything is stirred smooth and bubbling, toss in the kirsch without missing a stroke of the fork and get to dunking .
Large, crisp, hot potato chips make a pleasant change for dunking purposes.
British Dictionary definitions for dunking verb to dip (bread, etc) in tea, soup, etc, before eating
to submerge or be submerged in liquid
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Derived Forms dunker , noun Word Origin for dunk C20: from Pennsylvania Dutch, from Middle High German dunken, from Old High German dunkōn; see duck ², tinge
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for dunking v. 1919, American English, from Pennsylvania German dunke "to dip," from Middle High German dunken , from Old High German dunkon , thunkon "to soak," from PIE root *teng- "to soak" (see tincture ).
Basketball sense is first recorded 1937 as a verb, 1971 as a noun (earlier dunk shot ). German-American Anabaptist sect of Dunkers (who baptize with triple immersion) first recorded by that name 1756.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
