lunge

Meanings

Noun

• A sudden forward movement, especially with a sword.
• A long rope or flat web line, more commonly referred to as a lunge line, approximately 20–30 feet long, attached to the bridle, lungeing cavesson, or halter of a horse and used to control the animal while lungeing.
• An exercise performed by stepping forward one leg while kneeling with the other leg, then returning to a standing position.
• A fish, the namaycush.

Verb

• To (cause to) make a sudden forward movement (present participle: lunging).
• To longe or work a horse in a circle around a handler (present participle: lunging or lungeing).

Origin

• From French allonge, from Old French alonge, from alongier, from Vulgar Latin *allongare, from ad + Late Latin longare, from Latin longus.