Aplomb, plumb, plummet, More roots

A discussion of word histories and origins.
vaibhavd85
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Aplomb, plumb, plummet, More roots

Postby vaibhavd85 » Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:31 am

Aplomb (N): poise, assurance

Synonyms: Self-confidence, calmness, equanimity, sang-froid

Contextual Example:
It was evident that the aplomb with which he was facing the situation was merely a façade and actually he himself was completely shocked by seeing the gruesome situation.

Well this word has some metallurgical connection hidden behind it. People do you remember the metal Lead? If you rack your brains a bit then you may be able to associate this word to the Latin: plumbum, which is the original name for lead. The link of the word aplomb will be more clear if you consider the word plummet, now plummet as we know means to fall perpendicularly, fall sharply etc.

Example: After the 9/11 incident the stocks plummeted which started the economical crisis all over the world.

The word plummet when used as a noun means a ball of lead used for measuring the perpendicularity of surface. Now these balls are made up lead because lead is dense, ductile, and malleable and it also is easily available.

Some more word derived form plumbum are:

Plumb (V): examine critically in order to understand; measure depth (by sounding).

Contextual Example:
He tried to plumb her feelings, but the façade that his fiancée had put up made it quite difficult to do the same.

Plumb (Adj): vertical, perpendicular.

Contextual example (A typical dialogue that we engineers often hear in the workshop, Makes me reminisce those painful days.):

Just before welding the joint check whether the surfaces are exactly plumb or not.

More cognates: plumbing

If you know more cognates for this root, then please reply!!!

Regards,
V

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Postby Perry » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:22 am

You seem plumb crazy about this word. :wink:
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Re: Aplomb, plumb, plummet, More roots

Postby Stargzer » Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:45 pm

... If you rack your brains a bit then you may be able to associate this word to the Latin: plumbum, which is the original name for lead. ...
Whence comes the chemical abbreviation for lead, Pb.

Plumbing derives its name from the original use of lead to manufacture pipes for water distribution systems in ancient Roman construction; its malleability made it easier to form the pipes from lead than from other materials. It's not a lead pipe cinch, but there is speculation that this lead to lead poisoning of the population and contributed to the downfall of Roman civilization. The issue of lead poisoning is why lead is now being removed from solder used in plumbing and electronics.
Regards//Larry

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Postby Bailey » Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:26 pm

I'm Pb pipe-cinched


Mark plum-82 Bailey

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Postby gailr » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:37 am

What did in Elvis: too many PbNa sandwiches.

It's a joke, OK?

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Postby Perry » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:04 am

The plumber has left the building.
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
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