plumb bob

noun

: the metal bob of a plumb line

Examples of plumb bob in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Possible uses included: a plumb bob or a loom weight, a liquid sprinkler, a fire starter, a lamp, a smoking pipe, or parts of an apparatus for distillation. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 May 2022 Where many competitors use surveying equipment that’s accurate to within a thousandth of a degree to orient their robots on startup, Coordinated often relies on a plumb bob (cost: a few bucks). Tom Vanderbilt, Wired, 1 Feb. 2022 For holes deeper than three feet, drop a plumb bob (a conical weight attached to a string) into it to give you some sense whether the hole itself is plumb and uniformly shaped. Ryan D'agostino, Popular Mechanics, 24 Oct. 2020 For a long time, the tools used to measure medieval buildings were nearly as old as the buildings themselves: plumb bobs, string, rulers, and pencils. Andrew Tallon, National Geographic, 16 Apr. 2019 The plumb bob will hang at the angle reading for your latitude. Rhett Allain, WIRED, 3 May 2018 Accurate to within 1/4 of an inch per 100 feet of range, the kit comes with a tripod with quick-adjust legs, a heavy-duty 8-foot aluminum grade rod (feet-inches-eighths), a plumb bob, and a kit box to safeguard the laser during transport. David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 17 Jan. 2018 Cake pans, coffee pots, cash registers, and a white ElectroChef stove appeared amid scientific instruments such as steel calipers and a brass plumb bob. Jason Farago, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of plumb bob was in 1836

Dictionary Entries Near plumb bob

Cite this Entry

“Plumb bob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plumb%20bob. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

plumb bob

noun
: the metal bob of a plumb line
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