plumb

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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

plumb

(plŭm)

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.

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

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)

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)

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.

plumb

Past participle: plumbed
Gerund: plumbing

Imperative
plumb
plumb

Present
I plumb
you plumb
he/she/it plumbs
we plumb
you plumb
they plumb

Preterite
I plumbed
you plumbed
he/she/it plumbed
we plumbed
you plumbed
they plumbed

Present Continuous
I am plumbing
you are plumbing
he/she/it is plumbing
we are plumbing
you are plumbing
they are plumbing

Present Perfect
I have plumbed
you have plumbed
he/she/it has plumbed
we have plumbed
you have plumbed
they have plumbed

Past Continuous
I was plumbing
you were plumbing
he/she/it was plumbing
we were plumbing
you were plumbing
they were plumbing

Past Perfect
I had plumbed
you had plumbed
he/she/it had plumbed
we had plumbed
you had plumbed
they had plumbed

Future
I will plumb
you will plumb
he/she/it will plumb
we will plumb
you will plumb
they will plumb

Future Perfect
I will have plumbed
you will have plumbed
he/she/it will have plumbed
we will have plumbed
you will have plumbed
they will have plumbed

Future Continuous
I will be plumbing
you will be plumbing
he/she/it will be plumbing
we will be plumbing
you will be plumbing
they will be plumbing

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been plumbing
you have been plumbing
he/she/it has been plumbing
we have been plumbing
you have been plumbing
they have been plumbing

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been plumbing
you will have been plumbing
he/she/it will have been plumbing
we will have been plumbing
you will have been plumbing
they will have been plumbing

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been plumbing
you had been plumbing
he/she/it had been plumbing
we had been plumbing
you had been plumbing
they had been plumbing

Conditional
I would plumb
you would plumb
he/she/it would plumb
we would plumb
you would plumb
they would plumb

Past Conditional
I would have plumbed
you would have plumbed
he/she/it would have plumbed
we would have plumbed
you would have plumbed
they would have plumbed

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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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

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.

Translations

scandagliare sondare verticale esattamente filo 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

(= 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

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

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)

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

References in classic literature ?

De Lord God Amighty fogive po' ole Jim, kaze he never gwyne to fogive his- self as long's he live!' Oh, she was plumb deef en dumb, Huck, plumb deef en dumb -- en I'd ben a- treat'n her so!"

View in context

"And you ask me why I call it a coup d'etat?" Arobin had put on his coat, and he stood before her and asked if his cravat was plumb. She told him it was, looking no higher than the tip of his collar.

View in context

This silence was broken by one of the brethren, who led Pierre up to the rug and began reading to him from a manuscript book an explanation of all the figures on it: the sun, the moon, a hammer, a plumb line, a trowel, a rough stone and a squared stone, a pillar, three windows, and so on.

View in context

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