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• plough
  plough

  noun

  plow.
• Plough
  Plough

  noun

  the group of the seven brightest stars in the constellation Ursa Major

plough

American  

[plou] / plaʊ /

noun

Chiefly British.

1. plow.

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plough ¹ British  

/ plaʊ /

noun

1. an agricultural implement with sharp blades, attached to a horse, tractor, etc, for cutting or turning over the earth

2. any of various similar implements, such as a device for clearing snow

3. a plane with a narrow blade for cutting grooves in wood

4. (in agriculture) ploughed land

5. to begin or undertake a task

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verb

1. to till (the soil) with a plough

2. to make (furrows or grooves) in (something) with or as if with a plough

3. to move (through something) in the manner of a plough

   the ship ploughed the water

4. to work at slowly or perseveringly

5. (intr; foll by into or through) (of a vehicle) to run uncontrollably into something in its path

   the plane ploughed into the cottage roof

6. (tr; foll by in, up, under, etc) to turn over (a growing crop, manure, etc) into the earth with a plough

7. slang (intr) to fail an examination

Plough ² British  

/ plaʊ /

noun

1. Usual US name: the Big Dipper.  Also known as: Charles's Wain.  the group of the seven brightest stars in the constellation Ursa Major

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Other Word Forms

• plougher
  noun
• unploughed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of plough

Old English plōg plough land; related to Old Norse plogr, Old High German pfluoc

Example Sentences

“He sent me a picture of the whiteboard once,” said Tim Plough, who coached Mendoza at Cal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025

“I think he’s going to be playing football for a long time,” said Plough, now the head coach at UC-Davis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025

The Cherry Red Records Stadium in Plough Lane was left underwater after large amounts of rain fell in the area on Sunday night and Monday morning, causing extensive damage to the pitch.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2024

They are now playing in League Two out of a stadium close to the original Plough Lane.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2023

And there it remained until 1960 when it was discovered by Kenyan divers Conway Plough and Peter Philips.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler