plumb

1 of 4

noun

: a lead weight attached to a line and used to indicate a vertical direction

plumb

2 of 4

adverb

1
: straight down or up : vertically
2
chiefly dialectal : to a complete degree : absolutely
'you're plumb crazy', she remarked, with easy candorHarper's Weekly
3
: in a direct manner : exactly
also : without interval of time : immediately

plumb

3 of 4

verb

plumbed; plumbing; plumbs

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

plumb

4 of 4

adjective

1
: exactly vertical or true
2
Phrases
out of plumb or off plumb
: out of vertical or true
Choose the Right Synonym for plumb

vertical, perpendicular, plumb mean being at right angles to a base line.

vertical suggests a line or direction rising straight upward toward a zenith.

the side of the cliff is almost vertical

perpendicular may stress the straightness of a line making a right angle with any other line, not necessarily a horizontal one.

the parallel bars are perpendicular to the support posts

plumb stresses an exact verticality determined (as with a plumb line) by earth's gravity.

make sure that the wall is plumb

Examples of plumb in a Sentence

Adverb He set the board plumb. I plumb forgot about the party. Verb The book plumbs the complexities of human relationships. a scientist who spent her life plumbing the minds of criminals The play plumbs the depths of human nature. The plumber is almost finished plumbing the apartment. The new house has been wired and plumbed. All the bathroom fixtures have been plumbed. Adjective The carpenter made sure that the wall was plumb. a horror movie that's plumb trash and further evidence of the deterioration of popular culture
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Soft and juicy mid palate flavors of cranberries, red plumbs and some cumin on the finish. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Well structured and lively with heft, flavors of honey and white plumbs. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 And a very aesthetic plate of cherry tomatoes, olives, prosciutto, burrata, and plumbs under a shiny slick of olive oil. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 19 July 2023 Monica Barbaro practiced her carpet walk in a two-tone Elie Saab ballgown of deep plumb and delicate blue chiffon with a long full train. Leanne Italie, ajc, 13 Mar. 2023 The organization’s dedication to brotherhood and honesty—its symbols of the plumb of rectitude, the compass of moderation, the square of virtue and the level of equality—resonate with the democratic traditions of the United States from its founding to the present. Priscilla Montgomery Jensen, WSJ, 1 May 2022 Set the new prehung entry door into the opening from the outside (D), check it for plumb with a 4-ft. level on all sides, then tap shims between the doorframe and rough opening. Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 28 Feb. 2021 That doesn’t mean an end to Shipt’s distinctive green - but the introduction of secondary colors such as plumb, yellow and teal. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 6 Feb. 2020 The Gallery of Kings—the line of statues above the three massive doorways—was almost a foot (.3 meters) out of plumb. Andrew Tallon, National Geographic, 16 Apr. 2019
Verb
Season 4 of Barry was TV’s funniest tragedy, one that gave the exceptional cast the chance to plumb the true depths of their characters’ misery. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 6 Dec. 2023 The Moon begins the day in deep-thinking Scorpio with a trine to mystical Neptune, opening our minds, while a lunar sextile to Pluto will encourage us to plumb our own depths. Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2023 The fusion of Grant’s writing and Dave’s art created one of the greatest Batman stories of all time and plumbed powerful psychological and horror dimensions for all future comics to come. Josh Weiss, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 The project was plumbed for a public bathroom, but, as The New York Times reported last month, the city ran out of cash and it never was built. The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 14 Feb. 2024 Many of these projects are doomed attempts to plumb a well that’s long since run dry. Alison Herman, Variety, 1 Feb. 2024 Instagram account, which serves up meme-worthy, easily digestible nuggets of city history from time to time (including the recent backstory of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and plumbing the mystery that is the oil field beneath the Beverly Center). Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2023 That was down from 4.68 million a year earlier, and even lower than the levels plumbed right after the pandemic hit. Justin Lahart, WSJ, 21 Oct. 2023 Imaginatively adapted from a Japanese novel, this emotional depth charge plumbs the complex relationships between gay men and their parents with uncommon compassion, while also reflecting on the scars of a generation that came of age during the AIDS crisis. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2023
Adjective
It’s considered one of the plumb time-slots in all of TV — people always seem willing to see what’s on after the football’s over. Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2024 The result was the hushed, emotional ballad whose spare, thoughtful lyrics plumb existential questions in a most elegant way. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Jan. 2024 The yacht’s sporty exterior has lines penned by Enrico Gobbi and is mated to a sturdy plumb bow. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 22 Sep. 2023 The currency has now surrendered all of its gains from last year to plumb depths not seen since an investor panic in the early days of the war. Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2023 Also, use a square from two directions to check that the fastener is square or plumb to the surface. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 26 May 2023 Beau is a perfect excuse for him to plumb depths that even his previous A-list directors may not have pushed him toward exploring. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2023 Backfill with another six to eight inches of dirt, check that the post is plumb, and tamp down the dirt. Ryan D'agostino, Popular Mechanics, 24 Oct. 2020 The striking rounded plumb bow also creates less wind disturbance. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 16 July 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plumb.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French plum, plomb, from Latin plumbum lead

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plumb was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near plumb

Cite this Entry

“Plumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plumb. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

plumb

1 of 4 noun
: a weight attached to a line especially to show a vertical direction or distance

plumb

2 of 4 adverb
1
: straight down or up : vertically
2
chiefly dialect : to a complete degree : absolutely
3
: in a direct manner : exactly

plumb

3 of 4 verb
1
: to measure, adjust, or test with a plumb
plumb a wall
plumb the depth of the well
2
: to see into and come to understand
plumbed their motives

plumb

4 of 4 adjective
: exactly vertical or true
the wall is plumb

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