---
title: plumb — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «plumb» in the school dictionary: To fit water pipes in a building: «plumb in a washing machine». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# plumb

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** weight, something, plumb, builder, wall, Sailors · **What happens:** fit, use, check, be, measure, mean · **To what, where:** water pipes, building, depth, deepest point, plumb line, wall · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«plumb» in the school dictionary: its 5 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [plumb in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/plumb.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To fit water pipes in a building: «plumb in a washing machine».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:m1:1
# text = To fit water pipes in a building: «plumb in a washing machine».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	fit	fit	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	pipes	pipe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	plumb	plumb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	appos	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	washing	washing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	machine	machine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fit** | to-infinitive |  | water pipes |  | a building |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent pipe=Theme in building=Trajectory |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: noun — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A weight on a string (a plumb line or plumb bob) used to check that something is exactly vertical or to measure depth.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:m2:1
# text = A weight on a string (a plumb line or plumb bob) used to check that something is exactly vertical or to measure depth.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	weight	weight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	plumb	plumb	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	plumb	plumb	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	bob	bob	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	9	punct	_	_
14	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	check	check	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	advcl	_	_
17	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	21	mark	_	_
18	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	21	nsubj	_	_
19	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
20	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	vertical	vertical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	ccomp	_	_
22	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
23	to	to	PART	TO	_	24	mark	_	_
24	measure	measure	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	conj	_	_
25	depth	depth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | a weight on a string |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **check** | to-infinitive | a weight on a string *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | present | something |  |  |  |  | exactly, vertical *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **measure** | to-infinitive | something *not said here* | depth |  |  |  |  | vn register-54.1-2-1 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme depth=Value |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: adjective — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Exactly vertical, perfectly upright.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:m3:1
# text = Exactly vertical, perfectly upright.
1	Exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	vertical	vertical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	perfectly	perfectly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	upright	upright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To measure the depth of water; «plumb the depths» means reach the deepest or worst point.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:m4:1
# text = To measure the depth of water; «plumb the depths» means reach the deepest or worst point.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	measure	measure	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	advcl	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	depth	depth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	plumb	plumb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	depths	depth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
13	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
14	reach	reach	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	ccomp	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
16	deepest	deep	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	19	amod	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	worst	bad	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	16	conj	_	_
19	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **measure** | to-infinitive | plumb and the depths *not said here* | the depth of water |  |  |  |  | vn register-54.1-2-1 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme depth=Value |
| 2 | **mean** | present | plumb and the depths |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **reach** | infinitive |  | the deepest point |  |  |  |  | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent point=Theme |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal, adverb, mainly US — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Completely or exactly: «plumb crazy», «plumb in the middle».

<!-- fold The tree, 9 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:m5:1
# text = Completely or exactly: «plumb crazy», «plumb in the middle».
1	Completely	completely	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	plumb	plumb	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	crazy	crazy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	plumb	plumb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	appos	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The builder used a plumb line to check the wall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:x1:1
# text = The builder used a plumb line to check the wall.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	builder	builder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	plumb	plumb	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	check	check	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | the builder | a plumb line |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent line=Patient |
| 2 | **check** | to-infinitive | the builder *not said here* | the wall |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wall=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The wall is not plumb; it leans.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:x2:1
# text = The wall is not plumb; it leans.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	plumb	plumb	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	leans	lean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | present | the wall |  |  |  |  | plumb *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **lean** | present | wall |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad plumbed in the new dishwasher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:x3:1
# text = Dad plumbed in the new dishwasher.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	plumbed	plumb	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	dishwasher	dishwasher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **plumb** | participle |  | Dad *not said here* |  | the new dishwasher |  |  | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in dishwasher=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sailors plumbed the depth of the river.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:x4:1
# text = Sailors plumbed the depth of the river.
1	Sailors	sailor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	plumbed	plumb	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	depth	depth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **plumb** | past | Sailors | the depth of the river |  |  |  |  | vn search-35.2 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent depth=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gravity pulls the plumb bob straight down.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:x5:1
# text = Gravity pulls the plumb bob straight down.
1	Gravity	gravity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	pulls	pull	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	plumb	plumb	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	bob	bob	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	straight	straight	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	down	down	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pull** | present | Gravity | the plumb bob |  |  |  | down *property* | vn push-12-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bob=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«You're plumb crazy!» said the cowboy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:x6:1
# text = «You're plumb crazy!» said the cowboy.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	're	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	plumb	plumb	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	crazy	crazy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
8	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	cowboy	cowboy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present | You |  |  |  |  | crazy *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: express* | past | the cowboy |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ball landed plumb in the middle of the target.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plumb:x7:1
# text = The ball landed plumb in the middle of the target.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	landed	land	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	plumb	plumb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	target	target	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **land** | past | the ball | plumb |  | the middle of the target |  |  | vn pocket-9.10-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent plumb=Theme in middle=Destination |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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