plumb

plumb

exactly vertical: plumb in the center; determine the depth of; experience in extremes: plumb the depths of fear; provide with plumbing; work as a plumber

Not to be confused with:

plum – an oval, fleshy, edible fruit: He stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plum.

plume – a soft, fluffy feather: the plume of an egret; emissions from a stack, flue, or chimney: a plume of smoke

Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

plumb

 (plŭm)

n.

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.

adv.

1. In a vertical or perpendicular line.

2. Informal Directly; squarely: fell plumb in the middle of the puddle.

3. also plum Informal Utterly; completely: plumb worn out. right

adj.

1. Exactly vertical. See Synonyms at vertical.

2. also plum Informal Utter; absolute; sheer: a plumb fool.

v. plumbed, plumb·ing, plumbs

v.tr.

1. To determine the depth of with a plumb; sound.

2. To test the verticality or alignment of with a plumb.

3. To straighten or make perpendicular: plumb up the wall.

4. To examine closely or deeply; probe: "Shallow ideas are plumbed and discarded" (Gilbert Highet).

5. To seal with lead.

6. To outfit with or connect to a plumbing system: plumbed the utility closet so a washing machine could be installed.

v.intr.

To work as a plumber.

Idiom:

off/out of plumb

Not vertical.

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[Middle English, lead, a plumb, from Old French plomb, from Latin plumbum, lead.]

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plumb′a·ble adj.

plumb′ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

plumb

(plʌm)

n

1. (Building) a weight, usually of lead, suspended at the end of a line and used to determine water depth or verticality

2. (Building) the perpendicular position of a freely suspended plumb line (esp in the phrases out of plumb, off plumb)

adj

(prenominal) informal chiefly US (intensifier): a plumb nuisance.

adv

3. in a vertical or perpendicular line

4. informal chiefly US (intensifier): plumb stupid.

5. informal exactly; precisely (also in the phrase plumb on)

vb

6. (Building) (often foll by: up) to test the alignment of or adjust to the vertical with a plumb line

7. (tr) to undergo or experience (the worst extremes of misery, sadness, etc): to plumb the depths of despair.

8. (tr) to understand or master (something obscure): to plumb a mystery.

9. (Building) to connect or join (a device such as a tap) to a water pipe or drainage system

[C13: from Old French plomb (unattested) lead line, from Old French plon lead, from Latin plumbum lead]

ˈplumbable adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

plumb

(plʌm)

n.

1. a small mass of lead or other heavy material, as that suspended by a line and used to measure the depth of water or to ascertain a vertical line. Compare plumb line.

adj.

2. true according to a plumb line; perpendicular.

3. downright or absolute.

adv.

4. in a perpendicular or vertical direction.

5. exactly, precisely, or directly.

6. completely or absolutely: You're plumb right.

v.t.

7. to test or adjust by a plumb line.

8. to make vertical.

9. to sound with or as if with a plumb line.

10. to measure (depth) by sounding.

11. to examine closely: to plumb the poem's meaning.

12. to seal with lead.

13. to install plumbing in (a house, building, etc.).

v.i.

14. to work as a plumber.

Idioms:

out of or off plumb, not corresponding to the perpendicular; out of true.

Also, plum (for defs. 3-7).

[1250–1300; Middle English plumbe, probably < Anglo-French *plombe < Vulgar Latin *plumba, for Latin plumbum lead]

plumb′a•ble, adj.

plumb′ness, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

plumb

Past participle: plumbed
Gerund: plumbing

Imperative

plumb

plumb

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	plumb - the metal bob of a plumb line   plumb bob, plummet bob - a hanging weight, especially a metal ball on a string plumb line, perpendicular - a cord from which a metal weight is suspended pointing directly to the earth's center of gravity; used to determine the vertical from a given point
Verb	1.	plumb - measure the depth of something measure, quantify - express as a number or measure or quantity; "Can you quantify your results?"
	2.	plumb - weight with lead burden, burthen, weight, weight down - weight down with a load
	3.	plumb - examine thoroughly and in great depth explore - examine minutely
	4.	plumb - adjust with a plumb line so as to make vertical adjust, correct, set - alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard; "Adjust the clock, please"; "correct the alignment of the front wheels"
Adj.	1.	plumb - exactly vertical; "the tower of Pisa is far out of plumb" vertical, perpendicular - at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line; "a vertical camera angle"; "the monument consists of two vertical pillars supporting a horizontal slab"; "measure the perpendicular height"
Adv.	1.	plumb - completely; used as intensifiers; "clean forgot the appointment"; "I'm plumb (or plum) tuckered out" clean, plum jargon, lingo, patois, argot, vernacular, slang, cant - a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves); "they don't speak our lingo"
	2.	plumb - conforming to the direction of a plumb line
	3.	plumb - exactly; "fell plumb in the middle of the puddle" plum colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

plumb

verb

1. delve into, measure, explore, probe, sound out, search, go into, penetrate, gauge, unravel, fathom her attempts to plumb my innermost emotions

adverb

1. exactly, precisely, bang, slap, spot-on (Brit. informal) The hotel is set plumb in the middle of the High Street.

plumb the depths of something find, reach the nadir, reach the lowest possible level, reach rock bottom of questions that plumb the depths of stupidity

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

plumb

adjective

At right angles to the horizon or to level ground:

perpendicular, upright, vertical.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

scandagliaresondareverticaleesattamentefilo a piombo

plumb

[plʌm]

A. N → plomo m

B. ADJ → vertical, a plomo

C. ADV

1. (= vertically) → verticalmente, a plomo

2. (US) (= wholly) → totalmente, completamente
plumb crazy → completamente loco
he's plumb stupid → es un tonto perdido

3. plumb in the middle → en el mismo or (Mex) mero centro
it hit him plumb on the nose → le dio de lleno en las narices

D. VT

1. (= descend to) → sondar

2. (fig) → sondear
to plumb the depths of the human mind → penetrar en las profundidades de la mente humana
to plumb the depths of despair → conocer la mayor desesperación

3. (= connect plumbing in) [+ building] → instalar la fontanería de, instalar las tuberías de

E. CPD plumb bob N → plomo m
plumb line N → plomada f

plumb in VT + ADV → conectar (con el suministro de agua)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

plumb

[ˈplʌm]

n
out of plumb → pas d'aplomb

adv

(= exactly) → en plein
plumb in the middle → en plein milieu

(US) (= completely) → complètement
he's plumb crazy → il est complètement fou

vt

(= put plumbing in) [+ house] → installer la plomberie dans

(= try to understand) [+ mysteries, heart] → sonder

to plumb the depths of sth [+ bad taste, stupidity, despair] → toucher le fond de qch
to plumb new depths → toucher le fond

plumb in

vt sep [+ washing machine] → raccorder

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

plumb

n (= plumbline) → Lot nt, → Senkblei nt; (Naut also) → Bleilot nt out of plumb → nicht im Lot; true to plumb (Tech) → lotrecht

adv

→ lotrecht, senkrecht

(inf) (= completely) → total (inf), → komplett (inf); (= exactly) → genau; plumb in the middle → (haar)genau in der Mitte; it hit him plumb on the nose → es traf ihn genau or mitten auf die Nase

vt

ocean, depth → (aus)loten

(fig) mystery etc → ergründen; to plumb the depths of despair → die tiefste Verzweiflung erleben; this song plumbs the depths of bad taste → dieses Lied übertrifft alles bisher Dagewesene or da Gewesene an schlechtem Geschmack; to plumb new depths → einen neuen Tiefstand erreichen; a look that plumbed his very soul → ein Blick, der in die Tiefen seiner Seele drang

(= connect plumbing in) building → Klempnerarbeiten ausführen an (+dat)

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plumb

:

plumb line

n → Lot nt, → Senkblei nt

plumb rule

n → Lotwaage f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

plumb

[plʌm]

1. n → piombo

2. adv (fam) plumb in the middle → esattamente nel centro
he's plumb stupid (Am) (fam) → è proprio stupido

3. vt → scandagliare; (sb's mind) → sondare
to plumb the depths → scandagliare gli abissi (fig) → toccare il fondo

plumb in vt + adv (washing machine) → collegare all'impianto idraulico

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995