# Plum [plumb] lost track



## crispulo

Hi everyone .
Any help , please ? . 
Thanks in advance .

They PLUM lost track of whose turn it was .


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## modulus

It should be plumb, b is silent. It means completely.

Added:
plumb [adverb] 2 chiefly dialect   : to a complete degree  : ABSOLUTELY (MWD)


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## Oldy Nuts

Yo creo que la explicación anda por aquí, en el sentido de "completamente" (enlace tomado de una discusión anterior sobre "plum"):

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/6/messages/975.html


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## aztlaniano

Efectivamente es plum*B*. 
Es un uso que suena un poco paleto.


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## Oldy Nuts

Pero parece que el uso de la forma deformada se expande. Del Urban Dictionary:



> Plum:
> 
> A word used to emphasize or draw attention to the following word,  especially in a positive setting, although it can be used in a variety  of settings.
> 
> 
> 
> Person 1: I got the job!
> person 2: Thats plum awesome!
> 
> or alternatively
> 
> Person 1: She dumped me on by birthday dude...
> person 2: Thats plum lame


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## modulus

aztlaniano said:


> Es un uso que suena un poco paleto.



hehe...I do use it, mostly in things like "I'm plumb tired" or "He is plumb crazy".


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## SydLexia

It's with a 'b' and I would say connected to the idea of measuring verticality with a plumb-line/plumb-bob (plomada) i.e. absolutely vertical.

"The top to your right a bit.... a bit more..... that's it. I reckon that's pretty much plumb."

"that's (pretty much) plumb" is used by cricket commentators when referring to lbw decisions - the question being whether the batsman was actually exactly in front of the wicket when the ball hit his leg (whether the ball would have hit the stumps).

"plumb in the middle"

syd


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## aztlaniano

SydLexia said:


> It's with a 'b' and I would say connected to the idea of measuring verticality with a plumb-line/plumb-bob (plomada) i.e. absolutely vertical.


Sin duda. 
Nada que ver con las ciruelas, je je.


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## Oldy Nuts

aztlaniano said:


> Sin duda.
> Nada que ver con las ciruelas, je je.



Sí, todos sabemos que nadie lee el mensaje número 5...


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## k-in-sc

Since the "b" in "plumb" is silent and "plum" is a more familiar word, of course you're going to get a lot of people writing it like that.


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## aztlaniano

Oldy Nuts said:


> mensaje número 5...


Cualquiera puede meter una entrada en Urban Dictionary.
"Plumb" es con "b" al final porque está relacionado con el plomo. 


*Origin of PLUMB*

Middle English, from Anglo-French _plum,_ _plomb,_ from Latin *plumbum* lead
First Known Use: 14th century




http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plumb


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## robjh22

> Since the "b" in "plumb" is silent and "plum" is a more familiar  word, of course you're going to get a lot of people writing it like  that.                 ​



Then we should pear down their numbers.


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## Lis48

robjh22 said:


> Then we should pear down their numbers.



Confusion often comes because "plum" is used informally to mean wonderful, great, fantastic e.g. I got a plum job. 
But that´s because in the 17th century a plum was a British slang word for 1000 pounds... so a very serious amount of money.


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## aztlaniano

robjh22 said:


> Then we should pear down their numbers.


Es un juego de palabras. "Pear" = pera, pero se pronuncia igual que "pare". To pare down = reducir.


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## UZIKATKILLKILL

crispulo said:


> Hi everyone .
> Any help , please ? .
> Thanks in advance .
> 
> They PLUM lost track of whose turn it was .



No logro entender que significa, aún leyendo los diferentes posts, tienes más contexto, cual es el tema ? gracias


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## aztlaniano

UZIKATKILLKILL said:


> No logro entender qu*é* significa, a*u*n leyendo los diferentes posts, tienes más contexto, cu*á*l es el tema ?





crispulo said:


> They PLUM lost track of whose turn it was .


Mejor con más contexto, pero podría ser:
Se despistaron por completo y no sabían a quién tocó.


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## UZIKATKILLKILL

aztlaniano said:


> Mejor con más contexto, pero podría ser:
> Se despistaron por completo y no sabían a quién tocó.


Gracias Aztlaniano!


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## Oldy Nuts

aztlaniano said:


> Cualquiera puede meter una entrada en Urban Dictionary.
> "Plumb" es con "b" al final porque está relacionado con el plomo.
> 
> 
> *Origin of PLUMB*
> ...



Pero no es para enojarse, hombre. Sobre todo que Lis48 nos ha ofrecido una explicación muy razonable para el uso informal (y extendido) de _plum_. Sin contar que la frase en consulta no está precisamwente en lenguaje formal...


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## modulus

The use of plum instead of plumb is a simple case of misspelling. There is another word plum, which Lis48 mentioned. That word is never spelled plumb; but I suppose it could be misspelled as such and someone may even create an Urban Dictionary entry for it.


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## Oldy Nuts

I am confused. My dictionaries include both words, _plum_ and _plumb_, each with one informal meaning that in my opinion could fit in the original sentence. I therefore fail to understand why some of you insist in one interpretation based on a wrong usage of _plumb_, to the point of mocking those of us who are trying to understand more fully the situation.


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## k-in-sc

Plumb (*adv.*) = completely, totally. Often misspelled without the b.
Plum (*adj.*) = extremely desirable, rewarding, profitable, or the like: a plum job in the foreign service. ("Job" is the #1 collocation for "plum.")


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## aztlaniano

Oldy Nuts said:


> , _plum_ and _plumb_, each with one informal meaning that in my opinion could fit in the original sentence.


Cuando se usa como adverbio, en el sentido de "totally", se _debe_ escribir con una B al final. El hecho de que no siempre se escribe con la B es otra cosa.
Y no se puede fiar del Urban Dictionary; incluso cuando una entrada cuenta con varios votos a su favor hay que tener cuidado.


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## Oldy Nuts

k-in-sc said:


> Plumb (*adv.*) = completely, totally. Often misspelled without the b.
> Plum (*adj.*) = extremely desirable, rewarding, profitable, or the like: a plum job in the foreign service. ("Job" is the #1 collocation for "plum.")



Ah, at last someone not just repeating that it is a typing mistake. Yes, I see the point now, it seems that I did not read carfefully enough the meaning of the _noun_ "plum".


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## robjh22

I didn't notice anyone mocking anyone, but if you want another vote, I vote for "plum*B*" for the reasons offered in posts ##7 and 11. It would never occur to me to write "I'm plum tired," but if that's what your dictionary indicates, I won't argue.


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## Oldy Nuts

modulus said:


> Surely you mean "all of you."
> 
> I'm curious, what is your interpretation of the sentence?



Lis48 did not.

Same as yours because of a wrong interpretation of the noun _plum_. And sorry, but just repeating that writing _plum_ *is* a typing mistake is not a good enough argument for me.


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## modulus

Oldy Nuts said:


> Lis48 did not.
> 
> Same as yours because of a wrong interpretation of the noun _plum_. And sorry, but just repeating that writing _plum_ *is* a typing mistake is not a good enough argument for me.


I'm sorry I deleted that message since I thought it was no longer needed. Lis48 can speak for herself. Perhaps you misunderstood her post.


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## robjh22

Well, it's possible that it is not a typing mistake, as you say, but still a mis-use of the word "plum." 

Americans intentionally write "lay" when they should write "lie," "take" when they mean "bring," "loath" when they mean "loathe" and so on. All of those are valid words, correctly written as you see them, just erroneously used for the purpose intended.


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## Oldy Nuts

robjh22 said:


> I didn't notice anyone mocking anyone,...



Well, it's not a sin to consult the Urban Dictionary; I know that one must use it carefully. And I have seen it cited many, many times in these forums...

In any case, I am off. No point in making a personal quarrel out of what should have been a civilized discussion.


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## modulus

robjh22 said:


> I didn't notice anyone mocking anyone



Neither did I. I am "plumb" confused!

*Added*: I apologize Oldy Nuts for any misunderstandings.


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## aztlaniano

Oldy Nuts said:


> Well, it's not a sin to consult the Urban Dictionary;


Certainly not. The sin is committed by those who post erroneous, misleading or frivolous entries. You're not a sinner but sinned against.


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## k-in-sc

Yes, the UD is useful, but "alot" of idiots post to it too.


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## k-in-sc

I didn't say all, just a lot


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## Oldy Nuts

I had decided not to continue participating in this discussion, and said so; but I never unsuscribed, so I have read all subsequent messages. I am glad that the tone and the atmosphere in this thread improved noticeably after I kept quiet. However, I think I owe you all an explanation, so here I go.

I had been the only one to cite or even mention the Urban Dictionary, so I took this remark from modulus



> There  is another word plum, which Lis48 mentioned. That word is never spelled  plumb; but I suppose it could be misspelled as such and someone may  even create an Urban Dictionary entry for it.



to be directly addressed to me, especially after aztlaniano had commented very derogatively on that dictionary. I may have been over sensitive, so I really appreciate and value this statement of his:



> *Added*: I apologize Oldy Nuts for any misunderstandings.



I also apologize for my own guilt in the misunderstandings, and hope that we end with no hard feelings.

I do hope that no over-zealous moderator deletes this message before aztlaniano, k-in-sc and modulus (alphabetical order!) have a chance to read it.


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## aztlaniano

modulus said:


> And that from a guy who calls me "un poco paleto". Look in the mirror, buddy!


If we are going to allot rudeness points, I should point out that my comment was only an insult ex post facto, since I didn't know you were a hick until you subsequently admitted it. In contrast, k-in-sc has known for some time that I am an idiot.




Oldy Nuts said:


> end with no hard feelings.


Au contraire, I'm glad to find inquiring minds at work here.


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