dunk
UK: dʌŋk | US: dʌŋk
vt. to dip or submerge briefly into a liquid
vt. (basketball) to score by thrusting the ball downward into the hoop with one or both hands
n. the act of dunking, especially in basketball
The word "dunk" originates from the German dialectal word dunken (to dip), related to the German tunken (to soak or dip). It entered English in the early 20th century, initially describing dipping food into liquid (e.g., dunking a donut in coffee). Later, it was adopted in basketball slang to describe the forceful downward shot, popularized by the Harlem Globetrotters and the NBA. The "k" may serve as an emphatic or reduplicative element, reinforcing the action's abruptness.
She likes to dunk her cookies in milk before eating them.
The player executed a spectacular dunk during the game.
He dunked his paintbrush into the water to clean it.
Dunking became his signature move on the court.
The crowd cheered loudly after the slam dunk.