ESEN
Which one to use?Advancednoun / adjectiveverb
PlumvsPlumb
'Plum' is the fruit; 'plumb' means to measure depth or vertical alignment, or perfectly vertical.
Side-by-side comparison
Plum
noun / adjective"Plum" is the round purple or red fruit. Also describes something highly desirable: "a plum job" = a coveted, prestigious position that everyone wants to get.
She picked a ripe plum from the tree and ate it on the spot.
Landing the lead role in the film was a real plum for her career.
He managed to get the plum position at the new office before anyone else applied.
Plumb
verb"Plumb" is to measure whether something is perfectly vertical, or to explore thoroughly. "Plumb the depths" = go to the deepest level. "Out of plumb" = not truly vertical. Informal: "plumb crazy" = completely mad.
The builder used a plumb line to make sure the wall was perfectly vertical.
The investigation plumbed the depths of the financial scandal.
The post was not plumb, it leaned slightly to the left.
Common mistake
- •"The wall is not plum" when meaning not vertical is wrong (correct: plumb).
- •And "She landed the plumb role" when meaning desirable is wrong (correct: plum role).
Trick to remember it
- •"Plumb" has a silent B, like "bomb," "thumb," "climb," "comb," "lamb." The -MB combination always silences the B.
- •"Plum" has no B, as simple as the fruit.
Quick rule
- •Is it the fruit or something desirable? "Plum".
- •Is it vertical alignment, depth measurement, or "completely"? "Plumb".
Did you know?
PLUMB and PLUMBER share the Latin root "plumbum" (lead, the metal). Roman plumbers (plumbarii) worked mainly with lead pipes, which is why the trade is called "plumbing" even though lead is barely used today. The chemical symbol for lead is Pb, directly from Latin "plumbum." The plumb bob is one of humanity's oldest construction tools. Egyptians used it to achieve perfect vertical alignment when building the pyramids. "Plumb lines" and "plumb bobs" are still used in modern construction where a bubble level is not precise enough.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She made a delicious _____ crumble with fruit from the garden.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The builder used a _____ line to check that the wall was perfectly vertical.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
AcceptvsExcept
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
AdvicevsAdvise
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
AffectvsEffect
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
AislevsIsle
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy