plump

plump¹ [plʌmp] adj

[Date: 1400-1500; : Middle Dutch; Origin: plomp 'dull, not sharp']

1.) slightly fat in a fairly pleasant way - used especially about women or children, often to avoid saying the word fat

▪ The nurse was a cheerful plump woman.

▪ The baby's nice and plump.

see usage note ↑fat¹

2.) round and full in a way that looks attractive

▪ plump, soft pillows

▪ plump juicy tomatoes

>plumpness n [U]

plump ²

plump² v

[Sense: 1,4; Date: 1500-1600; Origin: PLUMP¹]

[Sense: 2-3,5; Date: 1200-1300; Origin: Copying the action]

1.) also plump up [T]

to make ↑cushions, ↑pillows etc rounder and softer by shaking or hitting them

2.) plump (yourself) down

to sit down suddenly and heavily

= ↑plonk

3.) [T always + adverb/preposition]

to put something down suddenly and carelessly

= ↑plonk

▪ Plump the bags down anywhere you like.

4.) also plump up [I and T]

if dried fruit plumps up, or if you plump it up, it becomes fatter and softer when in liquid

▪ Soak the apricots and raisins until the fruit plumps up.

plump for / [plump for sth/sb] phr v

to choose something or someone after thinking carefully about it

▪ Finally we plumped for a bottle of champagne.