plum

A small, round, sweet fruit with smooth skin and a hard stone inside.

• I ate a sweet plum.
• These plums are not ripe yet.
• We picked enough plums to make three jars of jam.

Similar words: plum-color

Common phrases: a ripe plum, plum tree, plum jam

A dark purple color with some red in it.

• She chose plum for the walls.
• The scarf comes in plum and gray.
• A touch of plum adds warmth to this color scheme.

Common phrases: a deep plum, a shade of plum, plum and cream

Something especially desirable, such as a well-paid job or an important assignment.

• That job is a real plum.
• The best assignments were plums reserved for senior staff.
• She secured the biggest plum: a posting to Paris.

Similar words: prize, reward

Common phrases: a political plum, a real plum, the biggest plum

A dried grape used in a cake or sweet pudding.

• This old recipe calls raisins plums.
• The cook stirred the plums into the cake mixture.
• In traditional plum pudding, the plums are dried grapes.

Similar words: raisin

Common phrases: plum pudding, plum cake

Especially good or desirable, often because it brings money, comfort, or importance.

• He got a plum job.
• She landed a plum role in the new film.
• Why do the same people always get the plum assignments?

Similar words: desirable, choice, coveted

Opposites: undesirable

Common phrases: a plum job, a plum role, a plum assignment

Having a dark purple color with some red in it.

• She wore a plum coat.
• The bedroom walls are plum.
• Would plum curtains look good with this carpet?

Similar words: plum-colored

Common phrases: plum lipstick, a plum dress, plum walls

Completely or entirely.

• I'm plum tired.
• He plum forgot to lock the door.
• After working all day, we were plum worn out.

Similar words: completely, totally, utterly

Opposites: partly

Common phrases: plum tired, plum forgot, plum worn out