4 entries under this word

Plumb

Plūmb, n.

noun

(plŭm), n. [Lat. plumbum, lead, a leaden ball or bullet; Fr. plomb, Pr. plom, Sp. plomo, Pg. chumbo, It. piombo, W. plwm.] A mass or weight of lead or other material attached to a line, and used to indicate a vertical direction, as in erecting buildings, &c.; a plummet; — rarely used except in composition. See PLUMB-LINE.

Plŭmb, a.

adjective

(plŭm), a. Perpendicular, that is, standing according to a plumb-line; as, the post of the house or the wall is plumb.

Plŭmb, adv.

adverb

(plŭm), adv. In a plumb direction; perpendicularly.

The eagle, of all birds, would be the first to flutter and sink plumb down if the atmosphere should make no resistance to his wings. De Quincey.

Plūmb, v. t.

verbtransitive

(plŭm), v. t. [imp. & p. p. PLUMBED; p. pr. & vb. n. PLUMBING.]

To adjust by a plumb-line; to set in a perpendicular direction; as, to plumb a building or a wall.
[W. plwmiaw.] To sound with a plumb or plummet, as the depth of water. [Rare.] Swift.
To examine by tests; to ascertain the depth, quality, dimension, or the like.

He did not attempt to plumb his intellect. Bulwer.