Adjacent Words

Plumb definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PLUMB, n. plum. [L. plumbum, lead; probably a clump or lump.]
A mass of lead attached to a line, and used to ascertain a perpendicular position of buildings and the like. But the word as a noun is seldom used, except in composition. [See Plumb-line.]
PLUMB, a. Perpendicular, that is, standing according to a plumb-line. The post of the house or the wall is plumb. [This is the common language of our mechanics.]
PLUMB, adv. In a perpendicular direction; in a line perpendicular to the plane of the horizon. The wall stands plumb.
Plumb down he falls.
1. Directly; suddenly; at once; as a falling mass; usually pronounced plump. He fell plumb into the water.
PLUMB, v.t. To adjust by a plumb-line; to set in a perpendicular direction; as, to plumb a building or a wall.
1. To sound with a plummet, as the depth of water. [Little used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: exactly vertical; "the tower of Pisa is far out of plumb" n
1: the metal bob of a plumb line [syn: plumb bob, plumb, plummet] v
1: measure the depth of something
2: weight with lead
3: examine thoroughly and in great depth
4: adjust with a plumb line so as to make vertical adv
1: completely; used as intensifiers; "clean forgot the appointment"; "I'm plumb (or plum) tuckered out" [syn: clean, plumb, plum]
2: conforming to the direction of a plumb line
3: exactly; "fell plumb in the middle of the puddle" [syn: plumb, plum]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French plum, plomb, from Latin plumbum lead Date: 14th century a lead weight attached to a line and used to indicate a vertical direction II. adverb Date: 15th century 1. straight down or up ; vertically 2. chiefly dialect to a complete degree ; absolutely <‘you're plumb crazy’, she remarked, with easy candor — Harper's Weekly> 3. in a direct manner ; exactly; also without interval of time ; immediately III. verb Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to weight with lead 2. a. to measure the depth of with a plumb b. to examine minutely and critically <plumbing the book's complexities> 3. to adjust or test by a plumb line 4. to seal with lead 5. [back-formation from plumber] to supply with or install as plumbing intransitive verb to work as a plumber IV. adjective Date: 15th century 1. exactly vertical or true 2. thorough, complete Synonyms: see vertical

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n., adv., adj., & v. --n. a ball of lead or other heavy material, esp. one attached to the end of a line for finding the depth of water or determining the vertical on an upright surface. --adv. 1 exactly (plumb in the centre). 2 vertically. 3 US sl. quite, utterly (plumb crazy). --adj. 1 vertical. 2 downright, sheer (plumb nonsense). 3 Cricket (of the wicket) level, true. --v.tr. 1 a measure the depth of (water) with a plumb. b determine (a depth). 2 test (an upright surface) to determine the vertical. 3 reach or experience in extremes (plumb the depths of fear). 4 learn in detail the facts about (a matter). Phrases and idioms: out of plumb not vertical. plumb-line a line with a plumb attached. plumb-rule a mason's plumb-line attached to a board. Etymology: ME, prob. ult. f. L plumbum lead, assim. to OF plomb lead 2. v. 1 tr. provide (a building or room etc.) with plumbing. 2 tr. (often foll. by in) fit as part of a plumbing system. 3 intr. work as a plumber. Etymology: back-form. f. PLUMBER

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Plumb Plumb, n. [F. plomb, L. plumbum lead, a leaden ball or bullet; cf. Gr. ?, ?, ?. Cf. Plummet, Plunge.] A little mass or weight of lead, or the like, attached to a line, and used by builders, etc., to indicate a vertical direction; a plummet; a plumb bob. See Plumb line, below. Plumb bob. See Bob, 4. Plumb joint, in sheet-metal work, a lap joint, fastened by solder. Plumb level. See under Level. Plumb line. (a) The cord by which a plumb bob is suspended; a plummet. (b) A line directed to the center of gravity of the earth. Plumb rule, a narrow board with a plumb line, used by builders and carpenters.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Plumb Plumb, a. Perpendicular; vertical; conforming the direction of a line attached to a plumb; as, the wall is plumb.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Plumb Plumb, adv. In a plumb direction; perpendicularly. ``Plumb down he falls.'' --Milton.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Plumb Plumb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plumbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Plumbing.] 1. To adjust by a plumb line; to cause to be perpendicular; as, to plumb a building or a wall. 2. To sound with a plumb or plummet, as the depth of water; hence, to examine by test; to ascertain the depth, quality, dimension, etc.; to sound; to fathom; to test. He did not attempt to plumb his intellect. --Ld. Lytton. 3. To seal with lead; as, to plumb a drainpipe. 4. To supply, as a building, with a system of plumbing.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(plumbs, plumbing, plumbed) 1. If you plumb something mysterious or difficult to understand, you succeed in understanding it. (LITERARY) She never abandoned her attempts to plumb my innermost emotions... = fathom VERB: V n 2. When someone plumbs a building, they put in all the pipes for carrying water. She learned to wire and plumb the house herself. VERB: V n 3. If someone plumbs the depths of an unpleasant emotion or quality, they experience it or show it to an extreme degree. They frequently plumb the depths of loneliness, humiliation and despair... PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR of n 4. If you say that something plumbs new depths, you mean that it is worse than all the things of its kind that have existed before, even though some of them have been very bad. Relations between the two countries have plumbed new depths... PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR of n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. Perpendicular (to the horizon), vertical, upright.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

An hundred thousand pounds.

Foolish Dictionary

To ascertain the capacity of.

Moby Thesaurus

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