plume off

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "plume off" is not a standard expression in written English and may not be widely recognized.
It could potentially be used in a specific context related to something dispersing or emitting, but clarity may be lacking without additional context. Example: "As the smoke began to plume off into the sky, we knew the fire was getting out of control."

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Shelf sediments were collected in the Mississippi River plume off the Louisiana coast (<30 m water depth) using a HYPOX corer [31] in May 2010 (Figure 1).

Geochemical Transactions

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Everything worked to transform a momentary incident into an emblem of the cause: the dynamism of both poses – the policeman semi-crouched as he sprays, the victim turning away in shock; the fact that her dress echoes the colours of the Turkish flag, while the black of his uniform is the home colour of state oppression; the fact that the assault is drawn in the air by that plume of off-white gas.

Independent

The first time, it looked like a far-off plume of smoke somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.

The New York Times

In her presentation, Lubchenco highlighted new results from a NOAA research vessel, emphasizing that concentrations of oil in a plume fell off quickly and were undetectable 20 kilometers from the leaking well.

Science Magazine

When he patted his mother's bed, "a plume of dust came off the sheets," an officer observed.

The New Yorker

When de Villiers and Bruce Nelson of the University of Washington, Seattle, analyzed the samples, they found a plume of water trailing off to the west of the ridge in which magnesium was depleted by as much as 1% and calcium was enriched.

Science Magazine

Off in the distance, on the other side of the island, smoky plumes come off Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano in the world.

The Economist

— A small rocket-powered plane streaked across the sky Tuesday, trailing a bright yellow plume of flame and kicking off what its sponsors hope will be the next Nascar — but with its tracks in the sky.

The New York Times - Sports

While maps of the plume of radiation being given off by the plant show that an elongated cloud will stretch across the Pacific, American officials said it would be so dissipated by the time it reached the West Coast of the United States that it would not pose a health threat.

The New York Times

"There are certainly no plumes off site that we don't know about," he said.

The New York Times

On September 6, the system degenerated into a remnant low-pressure system which spawned a remnant plume of moisture that meandered off the coast of California, producing light showers.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a visible emission detaching from a source, consider if "emit a plume" or "rise" offers a more direct and widely understood alternative.

Common error

Avoid using "plume off" in contexts where simpler verbs like "emit", "rise", or "drift" would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnatural or forced.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "plume off" functions as a verb phrase, often describing the action of a visible substance, such as smoke or vapor, separating from a source and ascending. This is observed in the Ludwig examples provided.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "plume off" describes the visual action of something detaching and rising from a source. While grammatically acceptable, as confirmed by Ludwig, it's relatively rare and has the potential to be misused in place of simpler and more common verbs. It is most frequently found in neutral contexts. Ludwig suggests alternatives such as "emit a plume" or simply "rise" if you are struggling to include "plume off" inside of your content, and the original phrase is not adding informative value to the text.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

emit a plume

Focuses on the action of releasing or emitting a plume, rather than the plume detaching.

smoke rising

Describes smoke ascending, similar to a plume detaching, but without the specific 'plume' formation.

steam ascending

Describes steam rising, similar to a plume lifting off.

vapor dissipate

Emphasizes the dispersion of vapor, similar to a plume disappearing.

mist vanish

Describes mist disappearing, resembling the dissipation of a plume.

cloud drift away

Describes a cloud moving away, relating to the dispersion aspect of a plume.

spray dispersing

Focuses on the spray spreading out, analogous to a plume scattering.

gas venting

Focuses on the release of gas, like a plume being released from a source.

fumes escaping

Highlights the escape of fumes, similar to a plume detaching and moving.

exhaust emitted

Emphasizes the emission of exhaust, comparable to the release of a plume.

FAQs

How can I use the phrase "plume off" in a sentence?

You can use "plume off" to describe something that separates and rises from a source, like "Smoke began to plume off the burning building".

What can I say instead of "plume off"?

You can use alternatives like "emit a plume", "rise", or "drift" depending on the specific context.

Is "plume off" grammatically correct?

Yes, "plume off" is grammatically acceptable, but it's less common than alternatives like "emit a plume".

What's the difference between "plume off" and "emit a plume"?

"Plume off" implies a separation, while "emit a plume" simply describes the action of something sending out a plume.