ply

¹

[ plahy ]

verb (used with object)

, plied, ply·ing.

1. to work with or at diligently; employ busily; use:

   to ply the needle.

2. to carry on, practice, or pursue busily or steadily:

   to ply a trade.

   Synonyms: exercise, follow

3. to treat with or apply to (something) repeatedly (often followed by with ):

   to ply a fire with fresh fuel.

4. to assail persistently:

   to ply horses with a whip.

5. to supply with or offer something pressingly to:

   to ply a person with drink.

6. to address (someone) persistently or urgently, as with questions, solicitations, etc.; importune.
7. to pass over or along (a river, stream, etc.) steadily or on a regular basis:

   boats that ply the Mississippi.

verb (used without object)

, plied, ply·ing.

1. to run or travel regularly over a fixed course or between certain places, as a boat, bus, etc.
2. to perform one's work or office busily or steadily:

   to ply with the oars; to ply at a trade.

ply

²

[ plahy ]

noun

, plural plies.

1. a thickness or layer.
2. Automotive. a layer of reinforcing fabric for a tire.
3. a unit of yarn:

   single ply.

4. one of the sheets of veneer that are glued together to make plywood.
5. Informal. plywood.
6. bent, bias, or inclination.

verb (used with object)

, plied, ply·ing.

1. British Dialect. to bend, fold, or mold.

verb (used without object)

, plied, ply·ing.

1. Obsolete. to bend, incline, or yield.

ply

¹

/ plaɪ /

noun

1. 1. a layer, fold, or thickness, as of cloth, wood, yarn, etc
   2. ( in combination )

      four-ply

2. a thin sheet of wood glued to other similar sheets to form plywood
3. one of the strands twisted together to make rope, yarn, etc

verb

1. to twist together (two or more single strands) to make yarn

ply

²

/ plaɪ /

verb

1. to carry on, pursue, or work at (a job, trade, etc)
2. to manipulate or wield (a tool)
3. to sell (goods, wares, etc), esp at a regular place
4. usually foll by with to provide (with) or subject (to) repeatedly or persistently

   he plied the speaker with questions

   he plied us with drink the whole evening

   to ply a horse with a whip

5. intr to perform or work steadily or diligently

   to ply with a spade

6. also intr (esp of a ship) to travel regularly along (a route) or in (an area)

   to ply between Dover and Calais

   to ply the trade routes

Other Words From

• plying·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of ply¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English plien, shortened variant of ap(p)lien apply

Origin of ply²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb plien, pleie, plaie “to bend, fold, mold,” from Middle French plier, ployer “to fold, bend,” variant of ployer, Old French pleier, from Latin plicāre “to fold”; fold ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ply¹

C15: from Old French pli fold, from plier to fold, from Latin plicāre

Origin of ply²

C14 plye, short for aplye to apply

Example Sentences

All too often, we conventional physicians dismiss patients with unusual complaints or simply ply them with medicines.

From The Daily Beast

OSI wanted her to ply the waitress with questions about drug sales.

From The Daily Beast

The rural economy may be a dead end, but some of these migrants ply their savings into massive new compounds back in the laojia.

From The Daily Beast

The labels are printed on Ply-Corr cardboard, a material made from 50 percent post-consumer waste.

From The Daily Beast

They are more likely to pick guys who ply their trade week in, week out at the highest levels.

From The Daily Beast

But the Czar's mind had early taken a strange ply which it retained to the last.

From Project Gutenberg

I am very well entered into the business and esteem of the office, and do ply it close, and find benefit by it.

From Project Gutenberg

Electric tramways and omnibuses serve all parts of the city, and numerous ferries ply across the river.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus the principal means of communication are the steamers which ply along the coast.

From Project Gutenberg

The neighbors continued to speculate and to ply Mrs. Stuvic with questions concerning Milford.

From Project Gutenberg