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“plumb”
plum, plum, plumb
plum (PLUM) (noun)
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.
plum (PLUM) (adjective)
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.
plumb (PLUM) (noun)
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.
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.
When Aaron had to survey the site of the accident, he didn't have a professional plumb with him; so, he improvised and used the seed of a plum suspended from a string.
This entry is located in the following units:
Confusing Words Clarified: Group P; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc. +
(page 6)
plumb-, plumbo-, plumbi- +
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plumb (adverb)
1. Exactly straight down or up or in a perfectly vertical position: "The carpenter set the board plumb."
2. In the U.S., informal and old-fashioned; to a complete degree or completely: "She plumb forgot to bring the book with her."
2. In the U.S., informal and old-fashioned; to a complete degree or completely: "She plumb forgot to bring the book with her."
"They were plumb exhausted after the long walk."
This entry is located in the following unit:
plumb-, plumbo-, plumbi- +
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plumb (adjective)
1. A reference to being exactly vertical or standing perfectly straight and not leaning in any way: "The tower of Pisa is not plumb."
2. Of or relating to the position of an object or structure which is vertical; as determined by a plumb bob (weight attached to a plumb line measuring its vertical center): "The carpenter determined that the walls were off plumb or leaning and not straight."
2. Of or relating to the position of an object or structure which is vertical; as determined by a plumb bob (weight attached to a plumb line measuring its vertical center): "The carpenter determined that the walls were off plumb or leaning and not straight."
This entry is located in the following unit:
plumb-, plumbo-, plumbi- +
(page 1)
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.
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.
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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.
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)
(Latin: lead, the metal; Pb)
Word Entries containing the term:
“plumb”
aplomb, a plum, a plumb
aplomb (uh PLOM, uh PLUM) (pronoun)
Confidence, skill, and poise; especially, in difficult or challenging circumstances: "A good hostess can handle an embarrassing situation with great aplomb."
a plum (uh PLUM) (pronoun)
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."
a plumb (uh PLUM) (pronoun)
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."
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."
The surveyors had to improvise when they needed a plumb and used a ripe plum attached to a string as a plumb for surveying the field.
At the end of the day, with great aplomb, one of the surveyors ate the plum.
plumb bob (s), plumb bobs (pl) (noun forms)
Usually a globular, conical, pointed, or pear-shaped metal weight attached to the end of a plumb line and which is used to determine its vertical center.
This entry is located in the following unit:
plumb-, plumbo-, plumbi- +
(page 1)
plumb bond (s), plumb bonds (pl) (noun forms)
A masonry bond in which the vertical joints line up.
This entry is located in the following unit:
plumb-, plumbo-, plumbi- +
(page 1)
plumb level (s), plumb levels (pl); plumb rule (s), plumb rules (pl) (noun forms)
A level made up of a piece of hardwood or metal fitted with curved glass vials which are oriented horizontally and vertically in order to the frame.
The vials are filled with liquid, and an air bubble is left to aid in the determination of the horizontal plane and highest vertical point.
This entry is located in the following unit:
plumb-, plumbo-, plumbi- +
(page 1)
plumb line (s), plumb lines (pl) (noun forms)
A tool which consists of a small, heavy object attached to a string or rope and that is used especially to see if something; such as, a wall, is perfectly vertical: "All of the carpenters were using plumb lines to make sure the sides of the newly constructed houses were straight and not leaning."
This entry is located in the following unit:
plumb-, plumbo-, plumbi- +
(page 1)