plump

¹

[ pluhmp ]

adjective

, plump·er, plump·est.

1. well filled out or rounded in form; somewhat fleshy or fat.

   Synonyms: rotund, portly

   Antonyms: thin

verb (used without object)

1. to become plump (often followed by up or out ).

   Synonyms: fatten

verb (used with object)

1. to make plump (often followed by up or out ):

   to plump up the sofa pillows.

   Synonyms: fatten

plump

²

[ pluhmp ]

verb (used without object)

1. to drop or fall heavily or suddenly; come down abruptly or with direct impact.
2. Chiefly British. to vote exclusively for one candidate in an election, instead of distributing or splitting one's votes among a number.

verb (used with object)

1. to drop or throw heavily or suddenly (often followed by down ):

   He plumped himself down and fell asleep.

2. to utter or say bluntly (often followed by out ):

   She plumps out the truth at the oddest times.

3. to praise or extol:

   road signs plumping the delights of a new candy bar.

noun

1. a heavy or sudden fall.
2. the sound resulting from such a fall.

adverb

1. with a heavy or sudden fall or drop.
2. directly or bluntly, as in speaking.
3. in a vertical direction; straight down.
4. with sudden encounter.
5. with direct impact.

adjective

1. direct; downright; blunt:

   Days after being accused, they met the charge with a plump denial.

verb phrase

1. to support enthusiastically; be wholeheartedly in favor of:

   to plump for a team.

plump

³

[ pluhmp ]

noun

, Chiefly British Dialect.

1. a group or cluster.
2. a flock:

   a plump of ducks.

plump

¹

/ plʌmp /

adjective

1. well filled out or rounded; fleshy or chubby

   a plump turkey

2. bulging, as with contents; full

   a plump wallet

3. (of amounts of money) generous; ample

   a plump cheque

verb

1. often foll byup or out to make or become plump

   to plump up a pillow

plump

²

/ plʌmp /

noun

1. archaic.
   a group of people, animals, or things; troop; cluster

plump

³

/ plʌmp /

verb

1. often foll bydown, into, etc to drop or fall suddenly and heavily

   to plump down on the sofa

2. intrfoll byfor to give support (to) or make a choice (of) one out of a group or number

noun

1. a heavy abrupt fall or the sound of this

adverb

1. suddenly or heavily

   he ran plump into the old lady

2. straight down; directly

   the helicopter landed plump in the middle of the field

adjective

1. in a blunt, direct, or decisive manner

Derived Forms

• ˈplumpness, noun
• ˈplumply, adverb

Other Words From

• plumply adverb
• plumpness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of plump¹

First recorded in 1475–85; earlier plompe “dull, rude,” from Middle Dutch plomp “blunt, squat”; cognate with Middle Low German plump “uneducated, clumsy”

Origin of plump²

First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English verb plumpen “to plunge into water, dive,” cognate with Dutch plompen; probably imitative

Origin of plump³

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English plump; origin unknown

Word History and Origins

Origin of plump¹

C15 (meaning: dull, rude), C16 (in current senses): perhaps from Middle Dutch plomp dull, blunt

Origin of plump²

C15: of uncertain origin

Origin of plump³

C14: probably of imitative origin; compare Middle Low German plumpen, Middle Dutch plompen

Synonym Study

See stout.

Example Sentences

Some restaurants in Brooklyn had plantains more plump than the ones at Top Taste.

From Eater

They also had to take into account how far into the breeding cycle the penguins were, since earlier in the cycle the birds are plumper from recent foraging, which allows them to start huddling at relatively colder temperatures.

From Quanta Magazine

When a caterpillar hatches, it munches milkweed leaves and grows plump.

From Science News For Students

It’s helping to plump their profit margins, and they say it comes down to changes in how consumers are shopping and what they’re buying.

From Quartz

When fully inflated, a plump, curved, inner mucus house cradles the larvacean as the animal’s swishing tail pumps seawater through the structure.

From Science News

Some juice spills out when one is sliced or bitten, but it isn't nearly as plump and oozy as a traditional link.

From The Daily Beast

There were a couple of black children on one of the floats, and a plump black tuba player marched with the high school band.

From The Daily Beast

Near its grounds, private gardens hang thick with bright orange tangerines and plump persimmons, the fruits of fall in Abkhazia.

From The Daily Beast

He wanted purity, docility, absolute devotion to her husband—and plump white arms.

From The Daily Beast

His skin tone is made to look nearly jaundiced, contrasting with his pale, plump lips.

From The Daily Beast

She was a plump-faced, insipid child, with fair hair and pale blue eyes, stolid and bovine in their expressionlessness.

From Project Gutenberg

“I thought she wos wery plump, and vell made,” said Mr. Weller, with a critical air.

From Project Gutenberg

The tall oak door of the library was opened by William Weedham himself—a plump, white-haired man with black, overhanging eyebrows.

From Project Gutenberg

But he had not run, and she landed on the further side plump beside him where he sat huddled against the stones.

From Project Gutenberg

It would not be easy to find a more ugly sight than that of their plump, heavy heads and faces in these old-fashioned bonnets.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• chunky
• fleshy
• pudgy
• well-fed