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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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PLUNGE, v., n. Also ploonge, plounge (Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems 127). Sc. forms and usages:

I. v. 1. As in Eng. Freq. form plungle, to plunge about, frolic. Nonce.Edb. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 95:
[To] plungle in your crystal tide.

2. tr. To penetrate by diving or plunging, to plunge into, plumb.Sc. 1724 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 14:
He'll plunge the Deep, And with expanded Arms the Billows sweep.

II. n. 1. As in Eng.; comb. plunge-churn, -kirn, a churn operated by the piston-like vertical movement of a churn staff or plunger. Cf. plump-kirn s.v. Plump.Peb. 1815 A. Pennecuik Tweeddale 84, note:
A plunge churn, completes the inventory of household furniture.Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm III. 899:
The old-fashioned upright hand plunge-churn is now confined chiefly to the use of small farmers and cottars.Uls. 1900 A. McIlroy Craiglinnie 17:
Her duties seldom entailing anything more difficult than a two hours' spell at the plunge-churn.

2. A heavy fall of water, a downpour of rain, a thunder plump (Per. 1975). Rare or obs. in Eng.Sc. 1781 Gentleman's Mag. LI. 616:
The weight of the former [water spout], by heavy plunges, raised the sea into mountains.Sc. c.1841 Carlyle in Atlantic Monthly (1898) LXXXII. 450:
Before that it was as bad as weather at any time need be: long continued plunges of wet.Sc. 1862 J. W. Carlyle Letters (Froude) III. 96:
Walk or ride three hours under a plunge of rain.Edb. 1895 J. Tweeddale Moff ii.:
Doon comes a ploonge o' rain.