English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
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 notes

In 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

Word forms

bunged past tense, bungs plural, bungs plural, bungs singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “bung” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

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").

Origin: Latin

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.

People also searched

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial