PLUNGER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does plunger mean? 

• PLUNGER (noun)
  The noun PLUNGER has 4 senses:

1. someone who risks losses for the possibility of considerable gains

2. someone who dives (into water)

3. hand tool consisting of a stick with a rubber suction cup at one end; used to clean clogged drains

4. mechanical device that has a plunging or thrusting motion

  Familiarity information: PLUNGER used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PLUNGER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who risks losses for the possibility of considerable gains

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

plunger; speculator

Hypernyms ("plunger" is a kind of...):

adventurer; venturer (a person who enjoys taking risks)

gambler (a person who wagers money on the outcome of games or sporting events)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "plunger"):

hedger (someone who counterbalances one transaction (as a bet) against another in order to protect against loss)

operator (a speculator who trades aggressively on stock or commodity markets)

scalper (someone who buys something and resells it at a price far above the initial cost)

venture capitalist (a speculator who makes money available for innovative projects (especially in high technology))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Someone who dives (into water)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

diver; plunger

Hypernyms ("plunger" is a kind of...):

swimmer (a trained athlete who participates in swimming meets)

Derivation:

plunge (thrust or throw into)

plunge (fall abruptly)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Hand tool consisting of a stick with a rubber suction cup at one end; used to clean clogged drains

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

plumber's helper; plunger

Hypernyms ("plunger" is a kind of...):

hand tool (a tool used with workers' hands)

Derivation:

plunge (immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate)

plunge (thrust or throw into)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Mechanical device that has a plunging or thrusting motion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

piston; plunger

Hypernyms ("plunger" is a kind of...):

mechanical device (mechanism consisting of a device that works on mechanical principles)

Meronyms (parts of "plunger"):

piston ring (seal consisting of a split metal ring that seals the gap between a piston and the cylinder wall)

piston rod (connecting rod that moves or is moved by a piston)

Holonyms ("plunger" is a part of...):

reciprocating engine (an internal-combustion engine in which the crankshaft is turned by pistons moving up and down in cylinders)

Derivation:

plunge (thrust or throw into)

 Context examples 

The old wheel-hub, fixed on the end of the upright pole, constituted the plunger.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

A device for the administration of parenteral drug products that consists of a rigid plastic barrel fitted with septum with a plunger at one end and a seal or needle at the other end.

(Plastic Syringe, NCI Thesaurus)

A device for the administration of parenteral drug products that consists of a rigid glass barrel fitted with septum with a plunger at one end and a seal or needle at the other end.

(Glass Syringe, NCI Thesaurus)

Martin washed woollens that day, by hand, in a large barrel, with strong soft-soap, by means of a hub from a wagon wheel, mounted on a plunger- pole that was attached to a spring-pole overhead.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)