lunger

¹ American  

[luhng-er] / ˈlʌŋ ər /

noun

Informal.

1. a person who has chronic lung disease, especially tuberculosis.

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lunger ² American  

[luhn-jer] / ˈlʌn dʒər /

noun

1. a person or thing that lunges.

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Etymology

Origin of lunger¹

First recorded in 1890–95; lung + -er ¹

Origin of lunger²

First recorded in 1835–45; lunge ¹ + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lunger

His father was a "lunger," and ex-professor from the East; his mother a vestal virgin dedicated to keeping the home fires burning.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Are you a lunger?" ejaculated one of them in astonishment, noting the light in her eyes and the flush in her cheeks.

From Sunny Slopes by Hueston, Ethel

"She's a public lunger or she wouldn't have been singing the Benedicite; and she's a Greenlander or she wouldn't have snow-blinds over her colloids," said George at last.

From Actions and Reactions by Kipling, Rudyard

She put him down as something better than an ordinary hobo; an out-of-luck Easterner, possibly a lunger.

From The Mesa Trail by Bedford-Jones, H.

Guess Lafe is fixing Mr. Blake’s leg.––Which reminds me, honey, that before we left the ranch, Mrs. Blake had me send for that lunger sawbones that’s come to live at Stockchute.

From Out of the Depths A Romance of Reclamation by Brehm, George