take the plunge
To begin any major commitment.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I finally decided to take the plunge and start my own business.”
“After saving money for years, they decided to take the plunge and buy their first house together.”
“Although he felt nervous about leaving his stable career, he eventually took the plunge to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a professional artist.”
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
bus plunge
A phrase often used in filler story headlines in print newspapers, prior to the adoption of computer-aided typesetting and publishing methods, as it filled out the usual width of a column in the eight-column layout then prevalent in the industry.
- 03
cross to take up
Alternative form of cross to bear.
- 04
forget to take one's medication this morning
To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.
- 05
get taken in
To be fooled; to fall for.
- 06
give and take
A process of compromise or accommodation.
- 07
give someone an inch and someone will take a mile
Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
- 08
have one's name taken
To receive a yellow card.
Last updated August 10, 2026