plummet

plummet
{{11}}plummet (n.) late 14c., "ball of lead, plumb of a bob-line," from O.Fr. plomet, dim. of plom "sounding lead" (see PLUMB (Cf. plumb) (n.)).
{{12}}plummet (v.) 1620s, from PLUMMET (Cf. plummet) (n.). Originally "to fathom, take soundings;" meaning "to fall rapidly" first recorded 1937, perhaps originally among aviators. Related: Plummeted; plummeting.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • plummet — plum‧met [ˈplʌmt] verb [intransitive, transitive] to suddenly and quickly go down in value or amount; = PLUNGE: • House prices have plummeted. • The Nikkei index plummeted by 577.38 points yesterday. • Its stock plummeted 19% after an investment …   Financial and business terms

  • Plummet — Plum met, n. [OE. plommet, OF. plommet, fr. plom, plum, lead, F. plomb. See {Plumb}.] 1. A piece of lead attached to a line, used in sounding the depth of water. [1913 Webster] I ll sink him deeper than e er plummet sounded. Shak. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plummet — may refer to one of the following:* Plumb bob, a weight with a pointed tip on the bottom that is suspended from a string and used as a reference line that is perpendicular to the ground *Sinker (fishing) * Plummet (musicians), a trance duo: See… …   Wikipedia

  • plummet — [v] fall hard and fast collapse, crash, decline, decrease, descend, dip, dive, downturn, drop, drop down, dump, fall, nose dive, plunge, precipitate, sink, skid, stoop, swoop, tumble; concepts 181,698,763 Ant. ascend, rise, shoot up …   New thesaurus

  • plummet — ► VERB (plummeted, plummeting) 1) fall or drop straight down at high speed. 2) decrease rapidly in value or amount. ► NOUN 1) a steep and rapid fall or drop. 2) a plumb bob or plumb line. ORIGIN …   English terms dictionary

  • plummet — [plum′it] n. [ME plomet < MFr plommet, dim. of plomb: see PLUMB] 1. a) PLUMB BOB b) PLUMB (n. ) 2. a thing that weighs heavily vi …   English World dictionary

  • plummet — v. (d; intr.) to plummet to (to plummet to earth) * * * [ plʌmɪt] (d; intr.) to plummet to (to plummet to earth) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • plummet — plum|met [ˈplʌmıt] v also plummet down [Date: 1900 2000; Origin: plummet [i] metal weight on a plumb line (14 21 centuries), from Old French plommet small ball of lead , from plomb; PLUMB1] 1.) to suddenly and quickly decrease in value or amount …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • plummet — 1) a cone shaped lead weight with a loop at the top and a cork base. A hook at the end of a fishing rig is threaded through the loop and embedded in the cork. The rig is cast out and the …   Dictionary of ichthyology

  • plummet — 1. noun /ˈplʌm.ət/ a) A piece of lead attached to a line, used in sounding the depth of water. Ill sink him deeper than eer plummet sounded. Shak. b) A plumb bob or a plumb line. His parachute was shot half away, and if hed jumped he would have… …   Wiktionary

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