Aplomb is calm self-assurance in a difficult moment. With great aplomb, handled it with aplomb, carried it off with aplomb.
It nearly always appears as with aplomb and is admiring, since it praises composure under conditions that would rattle anybody. The French means straight down, from a plumb line, so aplomb is being perfectly upright.
1nounaplombCalm self-assurance in a difficult moment.
“When the microphone failed, she carried on singing with great aplomb.”
aplomb is a composure.
The French is by the plumb line: the weighted string a builder hangs to check a wall is exactly upright. Aplomb is that same steadiness, in a person instead of a wall.
hooks ontoplumb
French
aplomb — plumb line
English, today
aplomb
French aplomb (“plumb line”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA