plunger

A plunger is the handy rubber cup on a handle that you reach for when a sink or toilet gets blocked. It works by making suction and pressure that can loosen whatever is causing the clog. The word also refers to the moving part inside a syringe, and to the rod you press down in a French press. In each case, it is something that moves up and down or presses forward to push or draw material.

The word "plunger" most commonly brings to mind that useful tool found in many bathrooms: a rubber or plastic cup attached to a handle, used to create suction and clear blockages from sinks, toilets, and tubs. You use it by placing the cup over the drain opening, making a tight seal, and then pushing and pulling it up and down repeatedly. This creates changing pressure that can loosen and break apart whatever is causing the clog, from hair and soap to larger obstructions.

However, "plunger" also has important mechanical meanings. In machinery and medicine, it can mean the moving part inside a pump or syringe that pushes or draws liquid. If you enjoy coffee, the "plunger" is also the rod with a mesh filter that you press down in a French press to separate the grounds from the liquid.

Less commonly, "plunger" has been used for a person who jumps into risky action, especially in older phrases such as "stock market plunger." You may also see it in some technical or historical uses for parts that move by pushing or sliding. Today, though, the word is most often understood as the drain-clearing tool or as the moving part in a syringe or similar device.