plumb bob

noun

: the metal bob of a plumb line

Examples of plumb bob in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The plumb bob will hang at the angle reading for your latitude. — Rhett Allain, WIRED, 3 May 2018 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 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

Rhymes for plumb bob

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Browse Nearby Words

plumbate
plumb bob
plumb bond
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Cite this Entry

“Plumb bob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plumb%20bob. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

plumb bob

noun
: the metal bob of a plumb line
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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