See Also: plummet(1)(dictionary)
plummet(2)(dictionary)
plummet(dictionary)

plummet(1) (iou)



plummet noun. LME.
[Old French plommet, plombet dim. of plomb: see PLUMB noun, -ET1.]
A ball of lead or other heavy material, attached to a line and used for determining the vertical; a plumb-bob; a plumb-rule. Also, a similar appliance attached to a quadrant or other scientific instrument. LME.
b. fig. A criterion of rectitude or truth. Long rare. M16.
A piece of lead or other heavy material attached to a line, and used for sounding the depth of water; a sounding-lead. LME.
Shakespeare Tempest My son i' th' ooze is bedded; and I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded. M. F. Maury The greatest depths..reached with the plummet are in the North Atlantic.
The pommel or knob on the hilt of a sword (sometimes weighted with lead). Scot. LME-L18.
A stick of lead, for writing, ruling lines, etc.; a lead pencil. obsolete exc. Hist. LME.
A ball or lump of lead, esp. one used as a missile or, fastened to a line, as a weapon or instrument of punishment. Also fig., something oppressive, something which weighs one down. LME-L19.
A weight for any of various purposes; spec. (a) a leaden weight for a gymnastic exercise; a weight for a cestus; (b) a weight of a clock; fig. a motive force, a spring of action; (c) Angling a weight attached to a fishing-line, used with a float as a sounding-lead, or to keep the float upright. M16.
Coarse Fishing We took..a big float and a plummet and we plumbed every part..we could reach.
plummetless adjective unfathomable L19.