Meaning & use
plumb line
A cord with a weight attached to one end, used to determine a true vertical line.
See it in a sentence
The mason used a plumb line to check that the brick wall stood perfectly vertical.
Surveyors relied on a plumb line long before laser levels became common.
A note on using this word
Gravity pulls the weight straight down, so a plumb line always marks a true vertical reference regardless of the surface beside it.
Words with a similar meaning
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