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

He nudged it with his foot, half expecting it to turn and lunge at his leg.

From Literature

She seems a bit alarmed when all four of us lunge toward her.

From Literature

Witnesses have said he did not lunge at officers or pose an immediate threat.

From Salon

She reared back to lunge at George again, and Owen finally found his voice.

From Literature

Jumping or lunging at Williams is futile, Verse said, because “he’s very able to get away from anything you bring to him.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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