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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

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.