lunge

¹ American  

[luhnj] / lʌndʒ /

noun

1. a sudden forward thrust, as with a sword or knife; stab.

2. any sudden forward movement; plunge.

   Synonyms:

   lurch, charge, rush

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verb (used without object)

lunged, lunging

1. to make a lunge or thrust; move with a lunge.

verb (used with object)

lunged, lunging

1. to thrust (something) forward; cause to move with a lunge.

   lunging his finger accusingly.

lunge ² American  

[luhnj] / lʌndʒ /

noun

lunged, lunging

1. longe.

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lunge ¹ British  

/ lʌndʒ /

noun

1. a sudden forward motion

2. fencing a thrust made by advancing the front foot and straightening the back leg, extending the sword arm forwards

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verb

1. to move or cause to move with a lunge

2. (intr) fencing to make a lunge

lunge ² British  

/ lʌndʒ /

noun

1. a rope used in training or exercising a horse

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verb

1. (tr) to exercise or train (a horse) on a lunge

Other Word Forms

• lunger noun

Etymology

Origin of lunge¹

1725–35; earlier longe for French allonge (noun; construed as a longe ), allonger (v.) to lengthen, extend, deliver (blows) < Vulgar Latin *allongāre, for Late Latin ēlongāre to elongate

Origin of lunge²

Variant of longe < French; longe, lune ²

Example Sentences

And Rowan, screaming, watched as the back of the cave came to life, opened its blood-red eyes, and lunged for him, shaking snow and ice from its shining white scales, baring its dripping teeth.

From Literature

He lunged for The Way to Rio Luna, but the man was too tall and held the copy up in the air.

From Literature

“He’s not. He burns calories pacing and lunging at us when we get within range of his claws.”

From Literature

Jonathan lunged forward, arms outstretched, trying to catch Abby before she hit the ground.

From Literature

She posted a video of herself squatting with heavy weights and lunging on the knee, protected by a brace.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bound
• leap
• lurch
• poke
• stab
• thrust