plow

especially British, plough

[plou]

noun

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

2. 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.

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

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

5. (initial capital letter)

   1. the constellation Ursa Major.

   2. the Big Dipper.

verb (used with object)

1. to turn up (soil) with a plow.

2. to make (a furrow) with a plow.

3. to tear up, cut into, or make a furrow, groove, etc. in (a surface) with or as if with a plow (often followed byup ).

   The tractor plowed up an acre of trees.

4. to clear by the use of a plow, especially a snowplow (sometimes followed byout ).

   The city's work crews were busily plowing the streets after the blizzard.

5. to invest, as capital (often followed byinto ).

   to plow several hundred million into developing new oil fields.

6. to reinvest or reutilize (usually followed byback ).

   to plow profits back into new plants and equipment.

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

   1. to cleave the surface of (the water).

      beavers plowing the pond.

   2. to make (a way) or follow (a course) in this manner.

      The yacht plowed an easterly course through the choppy Atlantic.

8. Slang: Vulgar.,  to have sexual intercourse with.

verb (used without object)

1. to till the soil or work with a plow.

2. to take plowing in a specified way.

   land that plows easily.

3. 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.

4. to proceed in a slow, laborious, and steady manner (often followed bythrough ).

   The researcher plowed through a pile of reports.

5. to move through water by cleaving the surface.

   a ship plowing through a turbulent sea.

verb phrase

1. plow under

   1. to bury under soil by plowing.

   2. to cause to disappear; force out of existence; overwhelm.

      Many mom-and-pop groceries have been plowed under by the big chain stores.

plow

/ plaʊ /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of plough

Other Word Forms

• plower noun
• plowable adjective
• plowability noun
• overplow verb
• replow verb (used with object)
• subplow verb
• unplowable adjective
• unplowed adjective
• well-plowed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plow¹

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

Example Sentences

The movie rarely stops to survey the field, and instead keeps plowing forward with Byrne behind the wheel, delivering a raw, emotionally complex performance that’s more honest than intentionally provocative.

Read more on Salon

One of America’s hottest energy investments—liquefied natural gas—looks like it’s on the brink of oversupply, and companies that are plowing money into it could run into financial difficulty in the years ahead.

Read more on Barron's

But to just keep plowing ahead, it’s unbelievable.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The swim area had buoys so that boats wouldn’t plow into you, but it didn’t look deep enough to swim at all.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Instead, he liquidated retirement funds and plowed ahead on his own nickel with the hope of getting reimbursed later.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bulldoze 
• cultivate 
• rake 
• reap 
• shove 
• smash