Adjacent Words

Plum definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PLUM, n.
1. The fruit of a tree belonging to the genus Prunus. The fruit is a drupe, containing a nut or stone with prominent sutures and inclosing a kernel. The varieties of the plum are numerous and well known.
2. A grape dried in the sun; a raisin.
3. The sum of f100,000 sterling.
4. A kind of play.
[Dr. Johnson remarks that this word is often written improperly plumb. This is true, not only of this word, but of all words in which b follows m, as in thumb, dumb, etc.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: any of several trees producing edible oval fruit having a smooth skin and a single hard stone [syn: plum, plum tree]
2: any of numerous varieties of small to medium-sized round or oval fruit having a smooth skin and a single pit
3: a highly desirable position or assignment; "a political plum" adv
1: exactly; "fell plumb in the middle of the puddle" [syn: plumb, plum]
2: completely; used as intensifiers; "clean forgot the appointment"; "I'm plumb (or plum) tuckered out" [syn: clean, plumb, plum]

Merriam Webster's

noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English, from Old English pl?me, modification of Latin prunum plum, from Greek proumnon Date: before 12th century 1. a. any of various trees and shrubs (genus Prunus) of the rose family with globular to oval smooth-skinned edible fruits that are drupes with oblong seeds; also the fruit 2. any of various trees with edible fruits resembling plums; also the fruit 3. a. a raisin when used in desserts b. sugarplum 4. something superior or very desirable; especially something desirable given in return for a favor 5. a dark reddish purple • plumlike adjective

Merriam Webster's

geographical name borough SW Pennsylvania population 26,940

Britannica Concise

Any of various trees in the genus Prunus of the rose family, and their edible fruits. In the U.S. and Europe, plums are the most extensively distributed of the stone (drupe) fruits, most varied in native and cultivated kinds, and most adapted to a wide range of soils and climatic conditions. The fruits show a wide range of size, flavor, color, and texture. They are widely eaten fresh, cooked, or baked in pastries. In full bloom, plum trees are covered with densely packed, showy flower clusters. The smooth-skinned fruit has a fleshy, juicy exterior and a hard interior stone or pit. Plum varieties that can be or have been dried without resulting in fermentation are called prunes.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a an oval fleshy fruit, usu. purple or yellow when ripe, with sweet pulp and a flattish pointed stone. b any deciduous tree of the genus Prunus bearing this. 2 a reddish-purple colour. 3 a dried grape or raisin used in cooking. 4 colloq. the best of a collection; something especially prized (often attrib.: a plum job). Phrases and idioms: plum cake a cake containing raisins, currants, etc. plum duff a plain flour pudding with raisins or currants. plum pudding a rich boiled suet pudding with raisins, currants, spices, etc. Etymology: OE plume f. med.L pruna f. L prunum

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Plum Plum, n. Something likened to a plum in desirableness; a good or choice thing of its kind, as among appointments, positions, parts of a book, etc.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Plum Plum, n. [AS. pl[=u]me, fr. L. prunum; akin to Gr. ?, ?. Cf. Prune a dried plum.] 1. (Bot.) The edible drupaceous fruit of the Prunus domestica, and of several other species of Prunus; also, the tree itself, usually called plum tree. The bullace, the damson, and the numerous varieties of plum, of our gardens, although growing into thornless trees, are believed to be varieties of the blackthorn, produced by long cultivation. --G. Bentham.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(plums) 1. A plum is a small, sweet fruit with a smooth red or yellow skin and a stone in the middle. N-COUNT 2. Something that is plum or plum-coloured is a dark reddish-purple colour. ...plum-coloured silk. COLOUR 3. A plum job, contract, or role is a very good one that a lot of people would like. (JOURNALISM) Laura landed a plum job with a smart art gallery. ADJ: ADJ n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Fruit of the plum-tree. 2. Plum-tree. 3. Raisin, dried grape. 4. £100,000. 5. Handsome sum, fortune, treasure.

Foolish Dictionary

A fruit that ripens and falls from the Political Tree--but only after careful grafting.

Moby Thesaurus

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