I. ˈpləm noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French plum, plomb, from Latin plumbum lead
Date: 14th century
: a lead weight attached to a line and used to indicate a vertical direction
•
- out of plumb
II. adverb
Date: 15th century
1. : straight down or up : vertically
2. chiefly dialect : to a complete degree : absolutely
‘you're plumb crazy’, she remarked, with easy candor — Harper's Weekly
3. : in a direct manner : exactly ; also : without interval of time : immediately
III. verb
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1. : to weight with lead
2.
a. : to measure the depth of with a plumb
b. : to examine minutely and critically
plumb ing 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
IV. adjective
Date: 15th century
1. : exactly vertical or true
2. : thorough , complete
Synonyms: see vertical