(archaic, nautical) A piece of lead attached to a line, used in sounding the depth of water; a plumb bob or a plumb line.

(archaic) Hence, any weight.

(archaic) A piece of lead formerly used by schoolchildren to rule paper for writing (that is, to mark with rules, with lines).

A violent or dramatic fall.

(figuratively) A decline; a fall; a drop.

(intransitive) To drop swiftly, in a direct manner; to fall quickly.