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Senkblei

plumb bob

noun ZENK-bly Rare
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Origin: from senken (to lower) + Blei (lead)

Usage Note

Senkblei is a small pointed weight suspended on a string, used since antiquity to determine a true vertical line; it remains useful for checking whether walls, door frames, or posts are perfectly plumb when no digital level is available.

Examples

"Mit dem Senkblei prüfte der Maurer, ob die Wand genau senkrecht stand."

Natural Translation

The bricklayer used the plumb bob to check whether the wall was exactly vertical.

Literal Translation

With the plumb-bob checked the bricklayer whether the wall exactly vertical stood.

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