dunk

The word "dunk" is used when food is lowered into (put down in) a liquid for added taste or when something or someone is submerged in water:

Some people like to dunk their donuts in coffee.
Others dunk their toast in the yolk of an egg prepared sunny side up.
A dunk tank is used at festivals and carnivals for the purpose of raising money. If you hit the target with a ball, the man is suddenly dunked in the water.
Basketball players often try to dunk the basketball through the net. If they jump high enough, they can push the ball downward to score two points. He’s dunking the ball. He’s making a dunk.

There’s also an expression that you might hear in the United States. If something is a slam dunk, it means that a person will get what he or she wants. Someone is successful at something:

• The sale of the house was a slam dunk as soon as it went on the market.
• Dan said his interview was a slam dunk. He thinks he’ll get the job.

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March 16, 2013