plumb line
plumb line · plumb lines
A cord with a weight attached, used to produce a vertical lineA cord with a weight attached, used to produce a vertical line; a plummet.
Meaning
2 sensesA cord with a weight attached, used to produce a vertical line; a plummet.
a cord from which a metal weight is suspended pointing directly to the earth's center of gravity; used to determine the vertical from a given point
Any vertical reference line.
Origin
From Middle English plumblyne, equivalent to plumb + line.From Middle English plumblyne, equivalent to plumb + line.
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Forms
plural: plumb linesSynonyms
1 synonymsClose in meaning
- a cord from which a metal weight is suspended pointing directly to the earth's center of gravity; used to determine the vertical from a given point:perpendicular