PLUIE de feu, Fr. literally a shower or rain of fire. It signifies a certain quantity of artificial fireworks, whose discharge falls in regular sparks, without ever deviating into a serpentine direction.
PLUMB, PLUMMET, a leaden or other weight let down at the end of a string, or piece of catgut, to regulate any work in a line perpendicular to the horizon, or sound the depth of any thing. It is of great use to the artillerist, as well as to the engineer.
PLUME, feathers worn by soldiers in the hat or helmet.
PLUMET, Fr. plume, feather. An ornament which is worn by military men in their hats. It succeeded the pannache or bunch of feathers, that formerly adorned the helmets.
PLUMMET. This word is derived from the Latin Plumbum, lead, as a piece thereof is fastened to the end of a thread. The instrument itself is used by masons, &c. to draw perpendiculars with, in order to judge whether walls, &c. be upright planes, horizontal, &c. Pilots, at sea, likewise ascertain their soundings by it. In the forming of recruits it is used to fix lines.
Plummets which vibrate the required times of march in the minute, are of great utility, and can alone prevent, or correct uncertainty of movement; they must be in the possession of, and be constantly referred to by each instructor of a squad.
A musquet ball suspended by a string which is not subject to stretch, (and must of course be kept constantly dry) and on which are marked the different required lengths, will answer the above purpose, may be easily acquired, and should be frequently compared with an accurate standard in the adjutant’s, or serjeant-major’s possession. The length of the plummet is to be measured from the point of suspension to the centre of the ball.
Accurate distances or steps of 24 inches must also be marked out on the ground, along which the soldier should be practised to march, and thereby acquire the just length of pace.
PLUNDER, hostile pillage, or spoils taken in war.
PLUS, in algebra, commonly denotes majus, more, or addition: its character is +. Thus 5 + 7 is read 5 plus 7, or 5 added to 7 is equal to 12.