different between declivity vs plunge

English

Etymology

1610s, from French déclivité, from Latin declivitatem, d?cl?vit?s,from d?clivis (“a sloping downward”), from de (“down”) + cl?vus (“a slope”), from Proto-Indo-European *?leywo-, from Proto-Indo-European *?ley- (“to lean”) (English lean).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??kl?v?ti/

Noun

declivity (plural declivities)

1. (geomorphology) The downward slope of a hill; the downward slope of a curve.
   • 1780, Theodore Augustine Mann, A Treatise on Rivers and Canals, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Volume 69: For the Year 1779, Part II, 582,

     The velocity of flowing waters is very far from being in proportion to the quantity of declivity in their bed: […] .

   • 1809, Alexander Cumming, Observations on the Very Important and Contrary Effects which Carriage Wheels, with Rims of Cylindrical, and of Conical Shape, Have on the Roads, page 30,

     […] whoever takes the trouble of observing how the water runs longitudinally in the ruts on a convex road, although the declivity down the sides be incomparably greater than in the direction which it is compelled to take in the ruts, will soon see the propriety of constructing roads so as to have the water rim length-ways upon them, instead of attempting to gain a declivity, by making it run from the middle to the sides.

   • 1812, John Ainslie, Comprehensive Treatise on Land Surveying, page 117,

     […] a line was measured down the hill on the right of 420, and the angle of declivity is 23°, which shortens the line 33 links; […] .

   • 1908 [Charles Griffin & Company], John Harvard Biles, The Design and Construction of Ships, Volume I: Calculations and Strength, 2009, Europ?ischer Hochschulverlag (Salzwasser-Verlag), page 216,

     The declivity of the keel blocks varies slightly with the size of the vessel. The larger the vessel, the less the declivity.

2. A downward bend in a path.
3. (entomology) An inward curve of the exoskeleton of an insect, such as between body segments; a segment of an insect's body where the exoskeleton curves inward.
   • 1979, Entomology Circular, Issue 200, Part 366, Division of Plant Industry, page number not shown,

     Males of all species have more developed armature of the elytral declivity than females (Figs. S, 6, 8, 9, 11-14).

   • 2000, Barry Bolton, The Ant Tribe Dacetini, Volume 65, Issue 2, American Entomological Institute, page 500,

     Propodeum in profile with upper lobe of declivity elongate and narrow, subspiniform, almost as long as lower lobe.

Related terms

• declivital; acclivity

Translations

See also

• decline

References

English

Etymology

From Middle English plungen, ploungen, Anglo-Norman plungier, from Old French plongier, (Modern French plonger), from unattested Late Latin frequentative to throw a leaded line, from plumbum (“lead”). Compare plumb, plounce.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pl?nd?/
• Rhymes: -?nd?

Verb

plunge (third-person singular simple present plunges, present participle plunging, simple past and past participle plunged)

1. (transitive) To thrust into liquid, or into any penetrable substance; to immerse.

2. (figuratively, transitive) To cast, stab or throw into some thing, state, condition or action.

3. (transitive, figuratively) This term needs a definition. Please help out and add a definition, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
4. (transitive, obsolete) To baptize by immersion.
5. (intransitive) To dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself.

6. (figuratively, intransitive) To fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition.
7. (intransitive) To pitch or throw oneself headlong or violently forward, as a horse does.
   • 1654, Joseph Hall, Select Thoughts, or Choice Helps for a Pious Spirit

     some wild colt, which […] flings and plunges

8. (intransitive, slang) To bet heavily and recklessly; to risk large sums in gambling.
9. (intransitive, obsolete) To entangle or embarrass (mostly used in past participle).
10. (intransitive, obsolete) To overwhelm, overpower.

Translations

Noun

plunge (plural plunges)

1. the act of plunging or submerging
2. a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into (into water)

   to take the water with a plunge

   A plunge into the sea

3. (dated) A swimming pool
4. (figuratively) the act of pitching or throwing oneself headlong or violently forward, like an unruly horse
5. (slang) heavy and reckless betting in horse racing; hazardous speculation
6. (obsolete) an immersion in difficulty, embarrassment, or distress; the condition of being surrounded or overwhelmed; a strait; difficulty

Translations

References

• plunge in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• “plunge”, in OED Online ?, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000

Anagrams

• pungle