Bung

From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.

A bung is an apparatus used to seal a container, such as a bottle, tube or barrel. Unlike a lid which encloses a container from the outside without displacing the inner volume, a bung is partially inserted inside the container to act as a seal.

The most common every-day example of a bung is the cork of a wine bottle. Other bungs, particularly those used in chemical barrels, may be made of metal and are screwed into place via threading.

In chemistry, bungs are usually made of hardened rubber. Some chemistry bungs have a central opening that can be used to hold tubing inserted into the container through the bung.

The word is the root of the insult "bunghole", which is commonly used by Beavis and Butthead in the animated television show of the same name, which appeared on MTV during the 1990s.

In British slang, a bung is slang term for a bribe.