The edible part of a tree which developed from a flower and is smooth-skinned with a large seed or pit in the middle: Ingrid has a plum tree in her garden which yields delicious purple fruit.

Descriptive of a color that is dark reddish or purple in tone: Cleo's winter coat was of a lovely plum shade and looked nice with the white fur collar.

1. A weight on the end of a line, employed to ascertain water depth: The captain of the ship dropped the plumb to determine how deep the river was.
2. A small piece of lead, on the end of a cord or piece of string, used especially by carpenters and masons to determine a true vertical: The builders used a plumb quite often so they could be sure that the structure was straight and not leaning.

Confidence, skill, and poise; especially, in difficult or challenging circumstances: "A good hostess can handle an embarrassing situation with great aplomb."

A round or oval smooth-skinned fruit, usually red or purple, containing a flattened pit: "Gwendolyn gave Kirk a plum to eat which he thought was delicious."

1. As a noun, a weight, usually made of lead, attached to a line and used to find the depth of water or to verify a true vertical alignment: "Austin used a lead ball, a plumb, attached to a line so he could determine the vertical accuracy of the building's walls."
2. Also, as a verb, to examine something in a careful and complete way in order to understand it: "The book strives to plumb the complexities of human relationships."

"As a psychologist, Wallace spent several years trying to plumb the minds of criminals."