chunk

¹

[ chuhngk ]

noun

1. a thick mass or lump of anything:

   a chunk of bread;

   a chunk of firewood.

   Synonyms: gob, wad, piece, hunk

2. Informal. a thick-set and strong person.
3. a strong and stoutly built horse or other animal.
4. a substantial amount of something:

   Rent is a real chunk out of my pay.

verb (used with object)

1. to cut, break, or form into chunks:

   Chunk that wedge of cheese and put the pieces on a plate.

2. to remove a chunk or chunks from (often followed by out ):

   Storms have chunked out the road.

verb (used without object)

1. to form, give off, or disintegrate into chunks:

   My tires have started to chunk.

chunk

²

[ chuhngk ]

verb (used with object)

, South Midland and Southern U.S.

1. to toss or throw; chuck:

   chunking pebbles at the barn door.

2. to make or rekindle (a fire) by adding wood, coal, etc., or by stoking (sometimes followed by up ).

chunk

/ tʃʌŋk /

noun

1. a thick solid piece, as of meat, wood, etc
2. a considerable amount

Word History and Origins

Origin of chunk¹

First recorded in 1685–95; nasalized variant of chuck ²

Origin of chunk²

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; perhaps nasalized variant of chuck ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of chunk¹

C17: variant of chuck ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. blow chunks, Slang. to vomit.

Example Sentences

Delhi itself produces a huge chunk of the pollution - emission from vehicles, construction and factories.

From BBC

The carcass—containing the head, forelimbs, and front part of the animal—was discovered encased in a chunk of ice in 2020 near the Badyarikha River in northern Siberia, above the Arctic Circle.

From Science Magazine

But it is unclear how much of it will be set aside to deal with road maintenance, as a chunk of it is being ringfenced to address problems with Northern Ireland’s wastewater infrastructure.

From BBC

There were jeers for Ohio's Paul, who wore a diamond spiked ear cover and referenced the infamous title fight where Tyson bit a chunk out of Evander Holyfield's ear in 1997.

From BBC

As a result, the organization sold a chunk of its campus — roughly 19 acres of undeveloped land — to raise money.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• block
• dollop
• hunk
• lump
• piece
• portion
• wad