| 释义 |
plumbing, vbl. n.|ˈplʌmɪŋ|
[-ing1.]
a. The action of the vb. plumb, in various senses; now esp. the work of a plumber.
1666Boyle in Phil. Trans. I. 335 What methods the mine⁓men use in following the Vein, and tracing their passages under ground (which they call Plumming and Dyalling) according to the several exigencies? 1711W. Sutherland Shipbuild. Assist. 162 Plummet, a Weight hanging by a Line to prove the Plumming. 1884Chandler in Pall Mall G. 24 July 11/2 Three years ago..a plumbing law was passed, which placed the control of plumbing and drainage in all new houses in the hands of the Board of Health. 1886York Herald 3 Aug. 7/6 ‘Plumbing’ was largely indulged in, top fishing being abandoned except in a few cases.
b. concr. That which is made by this action; lead-sealing; plumber's work. Also transf. in various senses: (a) colloq., a system of pipes, tubes, or ducts in an engine or other complicated apparatus or installation; (b) Jazz slang, a trumpet, trombone, or similar wind instrument; (c) spec. a lavatory; lavatory installations (colloq.); (d) slang, fillings in teeth; (e) joc., the excretory tracts, the urinary system.
1756Nugent Gr. Tour, France IV. 33 As soon as you enter Paris, you will be stopt in your chaise, and your pass and plumbings, and every corner of the whole chaise will be examined. 1899Westm. Gaz. 23 Oct. 2/3 They tore down gas-pipes, water-pipes, and electric wires from the walls, demolished the fixtures, wrenched the plumbing apart.
a.a1929in V. W. Pagé Mod. Aviation Engines (1929) II. xl. 1593 Courtney's flight, Franco's flight and the Polish flight were all three terminated by what is popularly known as ‘plumbing’ trouble... The engines stopped through failure of the feed lines. 1938― Airplane Servicing Man. xxii. 758 Aircraft space is limited, and..complicated plumbing must be installed in very close quarters. 1950J. L. Nayler Mod. Aircraft Design v. 78 Pumps and their connections have to be installed in places where they can be inspected and ‘plumbing’ is accordingly a big factor in their installation. 1955Sci. Amer. Oct. 34/3 New materials—e.g., liquid sodium as the coolant, beryllium as the moderator, zirconium for the ‘plumbing’..—may open the way for reactors..needing only a modest investment of fissile fuel. 1959New Scientist 12 Feb. 359/2 The wave-guide, or ‘plumbing’ as the radar engineer calls it, is simply a metal tube down which radio waves will travel. 1971H. E. Ennes Telev. Broadcasting: Equipment, Syst. & Operating Fund. xii. 548 Fig. 12–11 illustrates typical microwave plumbing.
b.1935Vanity Fair (N.Y.) Nov. 71/3 Plumbing or piston for trumpet. 1951Cosmopolitan July 85 Hap said, ‘You with the plumbin', what's your name?’ 1955Vogue 15 Sept. 124 Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson (above) pair their spruce, understated trombones (‘just plumbing’) against a backing of bass, drums and piano.
c.1950Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. xiv. 50 Outside plumbing, euphemism for no plumbing, a privy. 1971Countryman Winter 118 The house is progressing at last. We have bought a mountain of building supplies—pink plumbing and all. 1978S. Allan Inside Job i. 18, I expect she wants to wash... Don't be obtuse... I want to show her the plumbing.
d.1955J. Thomas No Banners xiv. 117 The fillings in his teeth had been removed and replaced by unmistakable French ‘plumbing’.
e.1960in Wentworth & Flexner Dict. Amer. Slang 398/1 This mild little medicine will fix your constipation, your stomach, your plumbing. 1963M. McCarthy Group v. 103 Helena had known about sex from a very early age but treated it as a joke, like what she called your plumbing. 1972G. Bell Villains Galore iii. 31 Excuse me, Albert, but I must see to the plumbing. Won't be a minute.
c. attrib., as plumbing-line, -rope, a lead-line, sounding line.
1688Boyle Final Causes Nat. Things iv. 136, I do not find that mens..plumming lines have reached above one mile of that great number. 1693Oliver in Phil. Trans. XVII. 908 Fastening our Bottle to our Plumbing-rope. |