Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PLUMB

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pronounce PLUMB: Say it "PLUM." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: Here's Eddie Izzard teasing British royals for being out of touch. Seriously though, what is a plumber? Where did that word come from? In its original sense, a plumb was a piece of lead on the end of a line, and a plumber was originally a person who worked with lead. And when you think of how the first pipes for our water and sanitation systems were made of lead, it makes sense why we call it plumbing. It might be more accurate now to call plumbers pipers, but I guess that term is already taken.  Alright, so we've explained why plumbing is called plumbing. It was pretty easy. Here's a hard one for you: why is a shellacking called a shellacking? definition: Back when we checked out the word "aplomb," I mentioned this: The word "plumb," which came into both English and French from Latin, means "a piece of lead on the end of a line, showing a perfectly straight line down." Here's a plumb line, also known as a plumb bob. (Thanks for the image, Wikipedia!) Literally speaking, if you're plumbing some water, you're dropping a plumb line down into it so that you can measure how deep it is. Figuratively speaking, if you're plumbing something, or plumbing the depths or mysteries of something, you're thinking deeply about it, as if you're going deep down into it, trying to get to the bottom of it, or trying to "measure" what it's all about. In other words, to plumb something is to think about it, and explore it, deeply. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Verb, the transitive kind: "The book plumbs the depths of the old philosophers;" "Try as you might, you'll never plumb the mysteries of her heart." Other forms:  plumbed, plumbing how to use it: Pick the formal, dramatic, semi-common word "plumb" when you want to compare some subject to a deep, mysterious body of water. You might talk about plumbing the depths of some topic, or plumbing its secrets or mysteries. Or plumbing the psyche of some person, group, or place. examples: "Dr. Luzan kept delving further into my psyche, plumbing the depths."     — Chang-rae Lee, Native Speaker, 1996 "I looked into that face, trying to plumb its secret, but it told me nothing."    — Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, 1952 has this page helped you understand "plumb"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "plumb" without saying "probe" or "investigate." try it out: Talk about a mystery you'd like to plumb--or one you'd rather not plumb, and why. If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Country Song, or Springer Episode? Be warned: this month's game is in poor taste. I had so much fun creating it, so what does that say about me? And if you're good at it, what does that say about you? Oh, snap.  Country songs and Jerry Springer episodes have something in common: their self-aware, over-the-top titles. It's clear that the creators of both enjoyed poking fun at their genre. In each round of the game this month, check out a handful of titles, and see if you can decide whether each belongs to a country song or a Jerry Springer episode. For the answers, scroll all the way down. Try these today: 1. Start Packing 2. Purdy Girls and a Drunk 3. I Still Like Bologna review this word: 1. A near opposite of PLUMB is A. SCAM. B. SKIM. C. SCUMBLE. 2. In a video, Hood Nature explores why some _____ just shouldn't be plumbed, like _____. A. questions .. whether bunnies actually nibble on carrots in the wild B. mysteries .. how the bigfin squid uses its 26-foot arms to catch prey on the ocean floor C. beliefs .. how koalas are smart little creatures who never eat dirt; fall out of trees; or sit in the rain, getting wet and wondering why Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B Answer to the game questions:  1. Start Packing → Springer 2. Purdy Girls and a Drunk → Springer 3. I Still Like Bologna → Song a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.