plumb
plumb Lexical Profile
plumb Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To install or connect water and drainage pipes in a building or fixture.
"The contractor plumbed the new bathroom sink over the weekend."
To explore or experience something fully or to its extreme limits.
"The psychological thriller plumbed the dark depths of the human mind."
To measure the depth of a body of water using a sounding line.
"The surveyors plumbed the lake to update the ancient nautical charts."
• noun
A small mass of lead or other heavy material attached to a line, used to determine true vertical alignment or to measure the depth of water.
"The mason dropped the plumb alongside the wall to ensure the brickwork was perfectly straight."
Word Nuance & Usage
In construction, 'plumb' strictly describes true vertical alignment, distinguishing it from 'level', which indicates true horizontality. It is a homophone with the word 'plum' (the fruit).
• Rhymes for plumb
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old French 'plombe', derived from Latin 'plumbum' meaning 'lead', referring to the lead weight originally suspended on a line to measure depth or verticality.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.