Word · Frequency #20239
plumb
深入探究；钻研；彻底弄清
examine or explore something thoroughly
- 1.
To determine the depth, generally of a liquid; to sound.
测量深度；探测
- 2.
To attach to a water supply and drain.
连接供水与排水系统
- 3.
To think about or explore in depth, to get to the bottom of.
深入探究；弄清真相
- 4.
To use a plumb bob as a measuring or aligning tool.
使用铅垂线测量或校准
- 5.
To accurately align vertically or horizontally.
精确垂直或水平对齐
- 6.
To work as a plumber.
从事水管工工作
- 7.
To position vertically above or below.
垂直置于上方或下方
测量…的深度；探测；用铅垂线校准；使垂直；用铅加重；给…加铅坠；测量深度；探测；连接供水与排水系统
In use
The report plumbs the causes of the city's housing crisis.
Before we decide, we need to plumb the full extent of the problem.
She spent weeks plumbing the archives for clues about her family history.
plumb sth
plumb 此处意为“测量深度”，常用于测量水域或井的深度。
They plumbed the lake to find its deepest point.
他们测量了湖水的深度，以找到最深处。
plumb the depths of sth
这是 plumb 的比喻用法，意为“深入探究、彻底弄清”。
The report plumbs the depths of the political crisis.
这份报告深入探究了这场政治危机的根源。
plumb sth with lead
plumb 在此表示“用铅加重”，后接工具时用 with。
Connections
Collocations
- plumb the depths of
- 深入探究；彻底弄清
- The novel plumbs the depths of human emotion.这部小说深入探究了人类情感的深处。
- plumb line
- 铅垂线；垂直参考线
- Use a plumb line to check that the wall is vertical.用铅垂线检查墙壁是否垂直。
- perfectly plumb
- 完全垂直的
- Make sure the posts are perfectly plumb before pouring the concrete.浇筑混凝土之前，要确保立柱完全垂直。
- plumb the ocean floor
- 测量海底深度
- The research vessel is designed to plumb the ocean floor.这艘科考船用于测量海底深度。
Idioms & figurative uses
- plumb the depths
- 深入探究…的深处；陷入…的深渊The novel plumbs the depths of human despair.这部小说深入探究了人类绝望的深渊。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
plumb的b不发音，像铅锤plumb入水；想象铅锤线垂直探入深处，plumb the depths就是追根究底。
Context & Register
语域：formal 常见场景：academic writing、literary criticism、serious journalism 作动词表示“深入探究、彻底弄清”时，通常用于正式书面语境，常见搭配 plumb the depths of something，多见于文学、学术或严肃新闻中；日常口语较少使用，口语中更常说 explore thoroughly 或 get to the bottom of。
Pronunciation & Spelling
dumb, thumb, numb, crumb, sum and plum rhyme with plumb /plʌm/. In plumb, dumb, thumb, numb and crumb the final b is silent; plum is a homophone of plumb. Beware the lookalike plume /pluːm/, which does not rhyme.
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.