plunk
/plʌŋk
/informal
verb
1 [no object] Play a keyboard or plucked stringed instrument in an inexpressive way: I got a guitar when I was twelve and started plunking away on it...
- Even during casual conversation he plunks out impromptu background music.
- They walked in, picked up their instruments and Nick started plinking and plunking at the piano.
- His fingers plunked dully on the wrong key, and the young man wrenched his attention away and resumed his disjointed playing to the end of the piece.
2 [with object] US Hit (someone) abruptly: he plunked him in the back...
- I should mention that while I was critiquing my work, a dog started to trot across the park, but I managed to plunk him in the head with an acorn before he could wreck my work.
- Meanwhile, Kramer's away at a baseball camp where he plunks Joe.
- Next thing I knew I was plunked a millimetre above the elbow.
3 [with object and adverbial] chiefly North American Set down heavily or abruptly: she plunked her pack on top of the bar...
- A second later he heard steps on the stairs, and popped his head over the back of the couch to see Kate plunking down the stairs fiddling with the straps on her dress.
- Mr. Wilder headed upstairs for bed, and Kate wandered back over to her couch, plunking down in it and picking up her dog-eared book.
- All of a sudden, I heard someone coming into the room just as I was plunking down my drink on my shelf.
3.1 (plunk something down) Pay a sum of money: I plunked down £14.95 for the new paperback edition...
- Well, while I never actually plunked any money down to support Jerry's particular dream, I did take in the odd feature at the revamped picture palace.
- By offering bonus goodies on the Web accessible only by those who purchase the disc, the reasoning goes, fans will be more apt to plunk their money down for a legitimate copy, rather than resort to mp3-swapping.
- He recommends that consumers think about noise when plunking their cash down on items such as car alarms (bar locks work just as well), or gas mowers, which are far noisier than their electric cousins.
noun
1The sound made by abruptly plucking a string of a stringed instrument: the singing was punctuated by the plunks of the guitar...
- Between songs he crouches and we can all hear the plunk plunk of strings being tuned.
- Double bassist Paul Harris marvelously played throughout the work, even after his G-string (the one on the double bass, please) snapped with a loud plunk.
- This song is the opening track, and the steady plunk of the keyboard draws me into the song and doesn't let go until the final breath of the vocals fade.
2US A heavy blow.Colorado pitchers put the Astros lifer over the top, delivering his last five plunks, three by Jason Jennings....
- Suddenly I felt a soft plunk of warm, gooey mashed potatoes hit my head.
Origin
Early 19th century: probably imitative.