noun
bung
BUHNG
Bung (noun) means a stopper, often made of rubber or cork, used to plug a hole in a barrel, bottle, or vessel. Example: “He hammered the bung back into the wine cask.”
noun
1
A stopper, often made of rubber or cork, used to plug a hole in a barrel, bottle, or vessel.
"He hammered the bung back into the wine cask."
2
British slang for a bribe.
"The official was accused of taking a bung from the contractor."
verb
1
British informal: to throw, put, or place something carelessly.
"Just bung the bags in the boot, we're late."
adj
1
British slang for broken or not working.
"The washing machine's gone bung again."
How to use bung
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA stopper for a hole — or, informally in British English, to carelessly throw something somewhere, a bribe, or something broken.
When to use it
The slang senses (bribe, broken, to chuck) are informal British English.
Common pairings
bung it in
take a bung
gone bung
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Word forms
- Plural
- bungs
- Third person singular
- bungs
- Past tense
- bunged
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He hammered the _____ back into the wine cask.
Etymology
From Medieval Dutch bonge or bonne ("stopper"), possibly ultimately from Latin punctus ("hole, point").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for bung
See all rhymes for bung →Frequently asked questions
What does “bung” mean?
The word “bung” means a stopper, often made of rubber or cork, used to plug a hole in a barrel, bottle, or vessel. In plain terms, a stopper for a hole — or, informally in British English, to carelessly throw something somewhere, a bribe, or something broken.
How do you pronounce “bung”?
“Bung” is pronounced BUHNG (/ˈbʌŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “bung” in a sentence?
Here is “bung” used in a sentence: “He hammered the bung back into the wine cask.”
What part of speech is “bung”?
Depending on how it is used, “bung” can be a noun, a verb and an adjective.
Where does the word “bung” come from?
The word “bung” comes from Latin. From Medieval Dutch bonge or bonne ("stopper"), possibly ultimately from Latin punctus ("hole, point").
How many meanings does “bung” have?
“Bung” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a stopper, often made of rubber or cork, used to plug a hole in a barrel, bottle, or vessel.
