plow

[ plou ]

/ plaʊ /

noun

an agricultural implement used for cutting, lifting, turning over, and partly pulverizing soil.

any of various implements resembling or suggesting this, as a kind of plane for cutting grooves or a contrivance for clearing away snow from a road or track.

Type Founding. (formerly) an instrument for cutting the groove in the foot of type.

Bookbinding. a device for trimming the edges of the leaves by hand.

(initial capital letter) Astronomy.

the constellation Ursa Major.
the Big Dipper.

verb (used with object)

to turn up (soil) with a plow.

to make (a furrow) with a plow.

to tear up, cut into, or make a furrow, groove, etc. in (a surface) with or as if with a plow (often followed by up): The tractor plowed up an acre of trees.

to clear by the use of a plow, especially a snowplow (sometimes followed by out): The city's work crews were busily plowing the streets after the blizzard.

to invest, as capital (often followed by into): to plow several hundred million into developing new oil fields.

to reinvest or reutilize (usually followed by back): to plow profits back into new plants and equipment.

(of a ship, boat, animal, etc.)

to cleave the surface of (the water): beavers plowing the pond.
to make (a way) or follow (a course) in this manner: The yacht plowed an easterly course through the choppy Atlantic.

Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse with.

verb (used without object)

to till the soil or work with a plow.

to take plowing in a specified way: land that plows easily.

to move forcefully through something in the manner of a plow (often followed by through, into, along, etc.): The cop plowed through the crowd, chasing after the thief. The car plowed into our house.

to proceed in a slow, laborious, and steady manner (often followed by through): The researcher plowed through a pile of reports.

to move through water by cleaving the surface: a ship plowing through a turbulent sea.

Verb Phrases

plow under,

to bury under soil by plowing.
to cause to disappear; force out of existence; overwhelm: Many mom-and-pop groceries have been plowed under by the big chain stores.

Also especially British, plough.

Origin of plow

before 1100; Middle English plouh, plugh(e), plough(e), Old English plōh; cognate with German Pflug plow

OTHER WORDS FROM plow

plow·a·ble, adjective plow·a·bil·i·ty, noun plow·er, noun o·ver·plow, verb

re·plow, verb (used with object), re·plowed, re·plow·ing. sub·plow, noun sub·plow, verb un·plow·a·ble, adjective un·plowed, adjective well-plowed, adjective

Words nearby plow

ploughshare, ploughstaff, plouk, plovdiv, plover, plow, plow back, plow into, plow steel, plow under, plow wind

British Dictionary definitions for plow back

plow

/ (plaʊ) /

noun, verb

the usual US spelling of plough

Derived forms of plow

plower, noun

Idioms and Phrases with plow back

plow back

Reinvest earnings or profits in one's business, as in This company plows back half its profits every year. This term transfers the farming practice of turning the soil from top to bottom to financial enterprises. [First half of 1900s]

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

plow

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

Origin of plow

OTHER WORDS FROM plow

Words nearby plow

British Dictionary definitions for plow back

noun, verb

Derived forms of plow

Idioms and Phrases with plow back

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

plow

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

Origin of plow

OTHER WORDS FROM plow

Words nearby plow

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for plow back

noun, verb

Derived forms of plow

Idioms and Phrases with plow back

British Dictionary definitions for plow back