Plummeting the depths of Mrs Malaprop
Jasper Gerard in the Sunday Times, 2 October 2005, writing about Lance Price’s Book of Revelations of the goings-on in No. 10 Downing Street, The Spin Doctor’s Diary:
A picture emerges of a government less concerned with the commanding heights of the economy than in plummeting the depths of banality.
Mr Gerard, or his helpful sub-editor, clearly needs one of those legendary Polish plumbers.
Brian
Yes, irritating, but not outright wicked. After all, a plummet is a plumb-bob, or attachment to a plumb-line, with which one plumbs the depths or heaves the lead. I think you should let him off with a warning.
Brian replies: You are very charitable, Tim. I’ll let him off this once, out of respect for your eloquent and ingenious appeal. But I hope it won’t happen again [winks].