You searched for: “plumbs
plumb (s), plumbs (pl) (noun forms)
1. A weight on the end of a line, used to determine water depth.
2. A weight on the end of a line, used especially by masons and carpenters to establish a true vertical.
3. That which is in a vertical or a perpendicular line.
This entry is located in the following unit: plumb-, plumbo-, plumbi- + (page 1)
plumb, plumbs, plumbed, plumbing (verb forms)
1. To determine the depth of water with a plumb; that is, "to sound the depths".
2. To test the verticality or alignment of something with a plumb.
3. To straighten or make perpendicular: "The mason will plumb up the chimney to make sure that it is straight."
4. To examine closely or deeply; to probe; that is, to succeed in fully understanding something, especially something mysterious: "The scientist spent his life plumbing the minds of criminals."
5. To seal with lead; for example, to equip something with plumbing, seal pipes with lead, or to work as a plumber: "The plumber is almost finished plumbing her apartment."
6. Etymology: the verbal use in English of "sound the depths" comes from the use of a line weighted with lead (a plumb line) to measure the depth of water and from the use of a similar line to determine the vertical positions of structures, etc.
This entry is located in the following unit: plumb-, plumbo-, plumbi- + (page 1)