Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense plumbs, present participle plumbing, past tense, past participle plumbed
1. verb
If you plumb something mysterious or difficult to understand, you succeed in understanding it.
[literary]
She never abandoned her attempts to plumb my innermost emotions. [VERB noun]
Magda had plumbed her own heart for answers. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: delve into, measure, explore, probe More Synonyms of plumb
2. adverb [ADVERB preposition]
If something is plumb in a particular place, it is exactly in that place.
[informal]
The hotel is set plumb in the middle of the high street.
Synonyms: exactly, precisely, bang, slap More Synonyms of plumb
3. verb
When someone plumbs a building, they put in all the pipes for carrying water.
She learned to wire and plumb the house herself. [VERB noun]
4. adverb [ADVERB adjective, ADVERB with verb]
Plumb is used to give emphasis to an adjective or verb that describes a feeling or condition.
[US, informal, spoken, emphasis]
I find I'm plumb depressed by it.
This thing has plumb worn me out.
5.
See to plumb the depths
6.
See to plumb new depths
Phrasal verbs:
See plumb in
More Synonyms of plumb
plumb in British English
(plʌm)
noun
1.
a weight, usually of lead, suspended at the end of a line and used to determine water depth or verticality
2.
the perpendicular position of a freely suspended plumb line (esp in the phrases out of plumb, off plumb)
adjective also: plum
3. (prenominal) informal, mainly US
(intensifier)
a plumb nuisance
adverb also: plum
4.
in a vertical or perpendicular line
5. informal, mainly US
(intensifier)
plumb stupid
6. informal
exactly; precisely (also in the phrase plumb on)
verb
7. (transitive; often foll byup)
to test the alignment of or adjust to the vertical with a plumb line
8. (transitive)
to undergo or experience (the worst extremes of misery, sadness, etc)
to plumb the depths of despair
9. (transitive)
to understand or master (something obscure)
to plumb a mystery
10.
to connect or join (a device such as a tap) to a water pipe or drainage system
Derived forms
plumbable (ˈplumbable)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Old French plomb (unattested) lead line, from Old French plon lead, from Latin plumbum lead
plumb in American English
(plʌm)
noun
1.
a lead weight (plumb bob) hung at the end of a line (plumb line), used to determine how deep water is or whether a wall, etc. is vertical
adjective
2.
perfectly vertical; straight down
adverb
3.
in a vertical direction; straight down
4. Informal
entirely; wholly; absolutely
plumb tired out
verb intransitive
5. Informal
to work as a plumber
verb transitive
6.
to test or sound with a plumb
7.
to discover the facts or contents of; fathom; solve; understand
8.
to make vertical
9.
to weight or seal with lead
10.
to equip with plumbing
Idioms:
out of plumb
Word origin
ME plumbe < MFr plomb < L plumbum, lead2 < non-IE source > Gr molybdos
More idioms containing
plumb
plumb the depths
Examples of 'plumb' in a sentence
plumb
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…
The next step up is a more comprehensive compact kitchen that is fully plumbed in.
The Sun (2016)
Sterling is within a whisker of a value it last plumbed during the depths of the 2008 financial crisis.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Two new bathrooms were plumbed in and an arch that divided the sitting room was demolished.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
One of their plumb lines is that they send their best people.
Christianity Today (2000)
You have plumbed depths rarely encountered in our court.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It was a performance that plumbed the depths.
The Sun (2014)
His disrespect for human dignity has plumbed new depths.
The Sun (2014)
But they have yet to plumb its full depths.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Will breathing all that country air mean their brains have enough oxygen to be able to plumb the depths of trivia?
The Sun (2015)
United have plumbed previously unknown lows.
The Sun (2014)
Wall panels complete with doors and windows and fully plumbed bathroom pods can be made in a factory and delivered to site.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It was properly plumbed, with pipes down to the sea.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The Apprentice continues to plumb new depths of horror.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Australia yesterday recalled its ambassador to Jakarta as relations between the two countries plumbed a new low.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Key purchasing managers' surveys of industry and services this week are also tipped to plumb record lows.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
A player who would reach the heights one week could also plumb the depths the next.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
JUST when Derby fans feel their team has reached rock bottom they plumb new depths.
The Sun (2008)
ENGLAND have plumbed new depths after they were stripped of their top-10 world ranking.
The Sun (2013)
The Hatters finished plumb last.
The Sun (2008)
Gilts continued to sag under pressure from the impending deal over a Greek bailout and plumbed an 11-day low.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Equally, no plumb line can fathom the depths of my misery at sitting through thisoverlong, mediocre serial.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
plumb
British English: plumb VERB
If you plumb something mysterious or difficult to understand, you succeed in understanding it.
She never abandoned her attempts to plumb my innermost emotions.
American English: plumb
Brazilian Portuguese: sondar
Chinese: 看穿
European Spanish: aclarar
French: pénétrer
German: ergründen
Italian: sondare
Japanese: 見抜く
Korean: 파헤치다
European Portuguese: sondar
Latin American Spanish: aclarar
Translate your text for free
All related terms of 'plumb'
plumb bob
the weight, usually of lead, at the end of a plumb line; plummet
plumb in
When someone plumbs in a device such as a washing machine, toilet , or bath , they connect it to the water and waste pipes in a building.
plumb line
A plumb line is a piece of string with a weight attached to the end that is used to check that something such as a wall is vertical or that it slopes at the correct angle .
plumb rule
a plumb line attached to a narrow board , used by builders , surveyors , etc
out of plumb
not vertical
plumb the depths
to be an example of extremely bad behaviour
to plumb new depths
If you say that something plumbs new depths , you mean that it is worse than all the things of its kind that have existed before, even though some of them have been very bad .
to plumb the depths
If someone plumbs the depths of an unpleasant emotion or quality, they experience it or show it to an extreme degree.
(verb)
her attempts to plumb my innermost emotions
Synonyms
delve into
measure
explore
The film explores the relationship between artist and instrument.
probe
The more they probed into his background, the more suspicious they became.
sound out
search
Armed troops searched the hospital yesterday.
go into
penetrate
long answers that were often difficult to penetrate
gauge
unravel
fathom
(adverb)
Definition
exactly
The hotel is set plumb in the middle of the High Street.
Synonyms
exactly
Can you describe exactly what he looked like?
precisely
The meeting began at precisely 4.00 p.m.
bang
bang in the middle of the track
slap
spot-on (British, informal)
(noun)
Definition
a lead weight hanging at the end of a string and used to test the depth of water or to test whether something is vertical
Synonyms
weight
lead
plummet
plumb bob
(adverb)
Synonyms
vertically
up and down
perpendicularly
idiom
See plumb the depths of something
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bang
Definition
precisely
bang in the middle of the track
Synonyms
exactly,
just,
straight,
square,
squarely,
precisely,
slap,
smack (informal),
plumb (informal)
in the sense of explore
Definition
to examine or investigate, esp. systematically
The film explores the relationship between artist and instrument.
Synonyms
investigate,
consider,
research,
survey,
search,
prospect,
examine,
probe,
analyse,
look into,
inspect,
work over,
scrutinize,
inquire into
in the sense of fathom
Synonyms
measure,
sound,
estimate,
probe,
penetrate,
gauge,
plumb
Nearby words of
plumb
plug away
plum
plumage
plumb
plumb the depths of something
plume
plume yourself on something
Related terms of
plumb
plumb the depths of something
Synonyms of 'plumb'
plumb
Explore 'plumb' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of penetrate
Definition
to grasp the meaning of (a principle, etc.)
long answers that were often difficult to penetrate
Synonyms
grasp,
understand,
work out,
figure out (informal),
unravel,
discern,
comprehend,
fathom,
decipher,
suss (out) (slang),
get to the bottom of
in the sense of precisely
The meeting began at precisely 4.00 p.m.
Synonyms
exactly,
bang on,
squarely,
correctly,
absolutely,
strictly,
accurately,
plumb (informal),
slap on (informal),
square on,
on the dot,
smack on (informal)
in the sense of probe
Definition
to investigate, or look into, closely
The more they probed into his background, the more suspicious they became.
Synonyms
examine,
research,
go into,
investigate,
explore,
test,
sound,
search,
look into,
query,
verify,
sift,
analyze,
dissect,
delve into,
work over,
scrutinize
in the sense of search
Definition
to look through (a place) thoroughly in order to find someone or something