plumb
/plʌm/
adverb
- Exactly; completely; straight (used informally for emphasis).
- The arrow landed plumb in the center of the target.
- He ran plumb into the fence and got a scratch on his arm.
- She stood plumb in the middle of the doorway, blocking the way.
verb
- To measure or test with a plumb line; to make vertical.
- The builder plumbed the door frame before securing it.
- She plumbed the fence posts to ensure they stood straight.
- We need to plumb this wall before we install the cabinets.
- To explore or understand deeply; to get to the bottom of something.
- She plumbed her own feelings to understand why she was so upset.
- The detective tried to plumb the mystery of the missing painting.
- Scientists plumb the depths of the ocean to discover new species.
- To connect or install pipes for water or gas.
- They plumbed the entire building for natural gas.
- He learned how to plumb a sink during his apprenticeship.
- The contractor plumbed the new house with copper pipes.
noun
- A small weight (often made of lead) attached to a line, used to find the exact vertical direction (a plumb line).
- The carpenter dropped the plumb to check if the wall was straight.
- The old plumb was made of brass and hung from a thin string.
- He used a plumb to make sure the post was perfectly vertical.
adjective
- Exactly vertical; straight up and down.
- The tower is not plumb; it leans slightly to the left.
- The surveyor confirmed that the foundation was perfectly plumb.
- Make sure the shelf is plumb before you nail it to the wall.
- Complete; absolute (used informally for emphasis).
- He fell plumb asleep in the middle of the movie.
- That idea is plumb crazy!
- It's plumb impossible to finish this puzzle in five minutes.
Antonyms