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
Aplomb, plumb, plummet, More roots
-
- Junior Lexiterian
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:55 am
- Location: India, Pune
- Contact:
-
- Great Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 2578
- Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:56 pm
- Location: Crownsville, MD
Re: Aplomb, plumb, plummet, More roots
Whence comes the chemical abbreviation for lead, Pb.... 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. ...
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
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 25 guests