plump
plump
Pronunciation
Phonetic Spelling
The IPA phonetic spelling for plump is /plʌmp/.
It's a single-syllable word. Here is a breakdown of its sounds:
/p/ - p: The voiceless sound made by pushing air from the lips, as in "pet."
/l/ - l: The voiced sound made with the tongue tip against the ridge behind the upper teeth, as in "lid."
/ʌ/ - u: The short 'u' vowel sound, as in "cup" or "drum."
/m/ - m: The voiced nasal sound made with the lips closed, as in "map."
/p/ - p: The final voiceless stop sound, as in "stop."
Word Form Variations
Adjective: plump, plumper (comparative), plumpest (superlative)
Verb: plump, plumps (third-person singular), plumped (past tense), plumping (present participle)
Noun: plump (singular), plumps (plural)
Adverb: plump, plumply
Derived Noun: plumpness
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective
Definition: Having a full, soft, and rounded shape; pleasantly chubby or full-bodied.
Synonyms: chubby, rounded, full, rotund, portly, stout
Antonyms: thin, skinny, slender, lean, gaunt, emaciated
Verb
Definitions:
To drop, set down, or fall heavily and suddenly. (e.g., "She plumped the bags on the counter.")
To pat or shake something to make it fuller and softer. (Often used with "up," e.g., "He plumped up the pillows.")
To choose or decide on something emphatically. (Often used with "for," e.g., "After much debate, I plumped for the blue car.")
Synonyms:
(to drop) plop, plunk, drop, flop, dump
(to fluff) fluff, puff up, cushion, fill out
(to choose) opt for, choose, decide on, pick
Antonyms:
(to drop) place, set gently, lay down
(to fluff) flatten, compress, deflate
Noun
Definition: A sudden or heavy fall; the dull, heavy sound made by such a fall.
Synonyms: thud, plop, thump, clunk
Adverb
Definition:
Suddenly and heavily. (e.g., "The apple fell plump to the ground.")
Directly or squarely. (e.g., "The store is located plump in the middle of town.")
Synonyms:
(heavily) heavily, abruptly, suddenly
(directly) exactly, squarely, precisely, right
Antonyms:
(heavily) lightly, gently, softly
(directly) indirectly, partially, approximately
Examples of Use
As an Adjective (plump)
This is the most common use, describing a full, rounded shape.
In Literature: "Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed." (James Joyce, Ulysses)
In Online Publications: "Look for corn with plump kernels and green husks (avoid corn with kernels or husks that look dry)." (Better Homes & Gardens)
In Newspapers: "Slowly waddling up the side of a 20-foot fan palm was a plump raccoon." (San Diego Union-Tribune, August 2023)
In General Discourse (Food): "I bought some plump, juicy strawberries at the farmer's market."
In General Discourse (People/Animals): "The baby had plump cheeks that everyone wanted to pinch."
As a Verb (plump, plumping, plumped)
This form has three distinct meanings: to drop heavily, to fluff up, or to choose decisively.
1. To Drop Heavily
In Literature: "She plumped herself down in the nearest seat and sighed."
In General Discourse: "He plumped his heavy backpack on the floor as soon as he got home."
2. To Fluff or Fill Out (often "plump up")
In Online Publications: "Lips can be plumped up with injections." (Cambridge English Dictionary)
In Entertainment (Television): On a home design show, a host might say, "You really need to plump up these cushions to make the sofa look inviting."
In General Discourse: "She went around the living room plumping the pillows on the couch before the guests arrived."
In Cooking: "Stew the dried fruits gently until they plump up."
3. To Choose Decisively (always "plump for")
In Newspapers (UK): "Running two racing papers was clearly uneconomic so Mirror Group opted... to plump for the Post which was by then out-selling the Life." (The Guardian, March 1999)
In Online Publications: "Confronted by the stark choice between starvation and steak, unsurprisingly, the crew plumps for the latter."
In General Discourse: "After looking at the menu for ten minutes, I finally plumped for the classic burger."
10 Famous Quotes Using Plump
Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed. (James Joyce, Ulysses)
Banish plump Jack, and banish all the world. (William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 1)
He was chubby and plump—a right jolly old elf. (Clement Clarke Moore, "A Visit from St. Nicholas")
She was a blooming lass of fresh eighteen, plump as a partridge, ripe and melting and rosy-cheeked as one of her father's peaches. (Washington Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow)
She was short, plump, and fair, with a fine bloom, blue eyes, light hair, regular features, and a look of great sweetness. (Jane Austen, Emma)
So did the plump sister, when she came. (Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
Won't it be fun to see you come home plump and rosy again? (Louisa May Alcott, Little Women)
I know it was a good squeeze, because, being very plump, whenever she made any little exertion after she was dressed, some of the buttons on the back of her gown flew off. (Charles Dickens, David Copperfield)
The chef inspected the plump scallops before preparing the evening's special.
I always plump for the aisle seat when I fly.
Etymology
The word plump actually has two different, but related, origins that eventually merged.
1. The Adjective (Describing Shape)
The word we use today to mean "chubby" or "nicely rounded" came into English in the late 1400s.
First Known Use & Meaning: When "plump" first appeared (around 1481), it didn't mean "chubby." It was borrowed from the Middle Dutch word plomp, which meant "blunt," "dull," or "clumsy." You could describe a person as "plump" to say they were rude or unrefined.
How it Evolved: Over the next few decades, the meaning shifted. People began to associate the "blunt" or "thick" sense of the word with a physical shape. By the 1540s, "plump" was being used to describe people who were "fleshy" or "full and well-rounded," which is the main way we use it today.
2. The Verb (Describing Action)
The word we use for actions like "plumping down on a couch" or "plumping up a pillow" came from a different, sound-based word.
First Known Use & Meaning: This version showed up earlier, around the 1300s or 1400s. It comes from a group of Dutch and German words (plompen or plumpen) that were imitative. They were meant to copy the sound of something heavy hitting a surface, especially water—a "plump!" sound.
How it Evolved: This "heavy fall" sound is why we still "plump down" in a chair (to fall heavily) or "plump up" a pillow (to hit it and make it fuller).
Essentially, we took one Dutch word for "blunt," which evolved to mean "chubby," and another similar-sounding Dutch word for a "heavy thud," and they combined to give us the single, versatile word "plump" that we have today.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Plump
To plump for (something/someone): This is the most common idiom. It means to choose or decide on one option enthusiastically, often after some thought.
Example: "After looking at all the paint samples, I finally plumped for the dark green."
To plump up (something): This phrasal verb means to pat, shake, or fluff something to make it fuller and softer.
Example: "She plumped up the pillows on the sofa before the guests arrived."
To plump (oneself) down: To sit down heavily and suddenly.
Example: "He came in and plumped himself down on the armchair without saying a word."
To plump out: To become fuller, rounder, or fatter.
Example: "The raisins will plump out if you soak them in water."
Pleasantly plump: A polite or gentle way to describe someone as being slightly chubby or rounded.
Example: "He was a pleasantly plump man with a cheerful laugh."
Plump as a partridge: An older simile used to describe someone as being perfectly fat, healthy, and rounded.
A plump denial: A direct, blunt, or outright refusal.
Example: "The mayor issued a plump denial of the accusations."
Ran plump into: An adverbial use meaning to run directly or squarely into something.
Example: "He wasn't looking and ran plump into the lamppost."
Idioms with Synonyms (Similar Effect)
Fat cat: A wealthy and powerful person, often perceived as lazy or benefiting from the work of others.
Full to the brim: To be completely full.
Full as a tick: An informal way to say you are extremely full after eating a large meal.
Chew the fat: To have a long, casual, and friendly conversation.
The fat of the land: To live in luxury with the best of everything available.
A fat chance: A sarcastic phrase meaning there is very little or no possibility of something happening.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of plump from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
