MEANING
1. To measure the depth of water or another space, traditionally with a weighted line.
2. To examine something thoroughly in order to understand its hidden depths or implications.
3. In a position aligned with the direction indicated by a freely hanging weight.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- plumb the depths
- plumb a channel
- plumb a well
On the page
Before advancing, they plumbed the channel beside the wreck.
The surveyor plumbed the old well and listened for the weight to touch water.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- plumb
- Past tense
- plumbed
- Past participle
- plumbed
- Present participle
- plumbing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- plumb
- Present continuous
- am/is/are plumbing
- Present perfect
- have/has plumbed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been plumbing
- Past
- plumbed
- Past continuous
- was/were plumbing
- Past perfect
- had plumbed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been plumbing
- Future
- will plumb
- Future continuous
- will be plumbing
- Future perfect
- will have plumbed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been plumbing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: plumb; plumbs; plumbed; plumbed; plumbing Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: plumbs.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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