plumb
Completely; straight-up very.
Also called plum.
Updated September 24, 2026
plumb pronunciation
/PLUM/
Meaning
Plumb is the redneck intensifier for all the way. You can be plumb wore out, plumb crazy, or plumb lost on a back road. It does not mean the fruit. It means thoroughly, no leftover room. Sounds like plum when you say it, and folks sometimes spell it that way too.
How folks use it
- “I was plumb tuckered out after stacking that hay.”
- “That boy is plumb stubborn when he sets his mind.”
Origin and etymology
From the old sense of plumb meaning true vertical, like a plumb line. That idea of exactness stretched into "completely" in American English, and Southern and Appalachian talk kept it loud. Paired forever with tuckered out in rural speech.
Frequently asked questions
Is it spelled plumb or plum?
Plumb is the intensifier spelling. Plum is the fruit. People often write plum because that is how it sounds.