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Plumb vs Dive - What's the difference?

plumb | dive |

As nouns the difference between plumb and dive

is that plumb is a little mass of lead, or the like, attached to a line, and used by builders, etc, to indicate a vertical direction while dive is .

As an adjective plumb

is truly vertical, as indicated by a plumb line.

As an adverb plumb

is in a vertical direction; perpendicularly.

As a verb plumb

is to determine the depth, generally of a liquid; to sound.

plumb

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • truly vertical, as indicated by a plumb line
  • (cricket) Describing an LBW where the batsman is hit on the pads directly in front of his wicket and should be given out.
  • Synonyms

    * (truly vertical) perpendicular

    Adverb

    (-)
  • In a vertical direction; perpendicularly.
  • * Milton
  • Plumb down he falls.
  • (informal) Squarely, directly; completely.
  • It hit him plumb in the middle of his face.
    Years ago the well plumb dried out, not a drop of water in there since.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A little mass of lead, or the like, attached to a line, and used by builders, etc., to indicate a vertical direction.
  • (nautical) A weight on the end of a long line, used by sailors to determine the depth of water.
  • Synonyms

    * (construction) plummet, plumb bob (UK), plumb line (US)

    Derived terms

    * plumb bob * off plumb * out of plumb * plumb line * plumb rule

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To determine the depth, generally of a liquid; to sound.
  • To attach to a water supply and drain.
  • To think about or explore in depth, to get to the bottom of, especially to plumb the depths of .
  • To use a plumb bob as a measuring or aligning tool.
  • To accurately align vertically or horizontally.
  • (dated) To seal something with lead.
  • To work as a plumber.
  • (rare) To fall or sink like a plummet.
  • (US, colloquial, figuratively, obsolete) To trace a road or track; to follow it to its end.
  • (nautical) To position vertically above or below.
  • dive

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) diven, duven, from the merger of (etyl) . See also (l), (l).

    Verb

  • To swim under water.
  • To jump into water head-first.
  • * Whately
  • It is not that pearls fetch a high price because men have dived for them.
  • To descend sharply or steeply.
  • (especially with in ) To undertake with enthusiasm.
  • She dove right in and started making improvements.
  • (sports) To deliberately fall down after a challenge, imitating being fouled, in the hope of getting one's opponent penalised.
  • To cause to descend, dunk; to plunge something into water.
  • (Hooker)
  • To explore by diving; to plunge into.
  • * Denham
  • The Curtii bravely dived the gulf of fame.
  • * Emerson
  • He dives the hollow, climbs the steeps.
  • (figurative) To plunge or to go deeply into any subject, question, business, etc.; to penetrate; to explore.
  • (South)
    Usage notes
    The past tense dove'' is found chiefly in North American English, where it is used alongside the regular (and earlier) ''dived'', with regional variations; in British English ''dived'' is the standard past tense, ''dove'' existing only in some dialects. As a past participle, ''dove'' is relatively rare. (Compare ''Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary''; ''The American Heritage Dictionary''; ''The Cambridge Guide to English Usage )

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A jump or plunge into water.
  • A swim under water.
  • A decline.
  • (slang) A seedy bar, nightclub, etc.
  • (aviation) Aerial descend with the nose pointed down.
  • (sports) A deliberate fall after a challenge.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl); see diva.

    Noun

    (head)
  • Anagrams

    * English irregular verbs ----