plummet

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Translations 1.4.2 Synonyms 1.4.3 Antonyms 1.5 See also 1.6 References

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Old English plommet (“‘ball of lead", "plumb of a bob-line’”), recorded since 1382, from Old French plommet or plomet, the diminutive of plom, plum (“‘lead", "sounding lead’”), from Latin plumbum (“‘lead’”). The verb is first recorded in 1626, originally meaning "to fathom, take soundings," from the noun.

[edit] Pronunciation

•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -ʌmɪt

[edit] Noun

plummet (plural plummets)

1. (archaic): A piece of lead attached to a line, used in sounding the depth of water.

   I'll sink him deeper than e'er plummet sounded. -Shak.

2. (archaic): A plumb bob or a plumb line. See under plumb, n.
3. (archaic): Hence, any weight.
4. (archaic): A piece of lead formerly used by school children to rule paper for writing
5. hence a plummet line, a line with a plummet; a sounding line.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to plummet (third-person singular simple present plummets, present participle plummeting or plummetting, simple past and past participle plummeted or plummetted)

1. (intransitive) To drop swiftly, in a direct manner; to fall quickly.

   After its ascent, the arrow plummeted to earth.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Synonyms

• (to drop swiftly): dive, drop, fall

[edit] Antonyms

• (to drop swiftly): ascend, rise, rocket, soar

[edit] See also

• plumb line
• plumb

[edit] References

• “plummet” in the Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper, 2001