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plunge · verb /plʌndʒ/Full view
plunge down/into, etc.
C2 to fall or move down very quickly and with force
Dictionary example:

The car came off the road and plunged down the hillside.

Learner example:

The moment you plunge into the pool you no longer belong to yourself, you cut the smooth surface of the water, moving faster and faster, until you reach the end, exhausted but content with yourself. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Russian)

plunge
C1 I to become lower in temperature, value, etc. very suddenly and quickly
Dictionary example:

Temperatures plunged below zero.

Learner example:

Five years later the German trend plunged and the Spanish followed, both reaching marks of 1.3 and 1.2 average children per family respectively. (International English Language Testing System; C1; Portuguese)

plunge sth into sth
C2 to push something very hard into something else
Dictionary example:

He plunged the knife into the man's stomach.

Learner example:

Eventually, they met again in Boston, and as Marco said, he felt as if somebody plunged a knife into his belly when he saw her after two years of separation. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Spanish)

plunge into sth
C2 to start doing something with a lot of energy
Dictionary example:

Trying to forget about her, he plunged into his work.

Learner example:

The solution for her is then to leave everything and plunge into a new life with her Indian lover. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Portuguese)

plunge · noun /plʌndʒ/
take the plunge
C2 to do something important or difficult, especially after thinking about it for a long time
Dictionary example:

We're finally going to take the plunge and buy a house.

Learner example:

Being unable to stand this m[y]stery, I decided to take the plunge and follow him. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Portuguese)

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