ply

[ plahy ]

See synonyms for: ply plies plying on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),plied, ply·ing.

to work with or at diligently; employ busily; use: to ply the needle.
to carry on, practice, or pursue busily or steadily: to ply a trade.

to treat with or apply to (something) repeatedly (often followed by with): to ply a fire with fresh fuel.
to assail persistently: to ply horses with a whip.
to supply with or offer something pressingly to: to ply a person with drink.
to address (someone) persistently or urgently, as with questions, solicitations, etc.; importune.
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.

to run or travel regularly over a fixed course or between certain places, as a boat, bus, etc.
to perform one's work or office busily or steadily: to ply with the oars; to ply at a trade.

Origin of ply

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

Other words for ply

2	follow, exercise

See synonyms for ply on Thesaurus.com

Other words from ply

ply·ing·ly, adverb

Other definitions for ply (2 of 2)

ply²

[ plahy ]

noun,plural plies.

a thickness or layer.
Automotive. a layer of reinforcing fabric for a tire.

a unit of yarn: single ply.
one of the sheets of veneer that are glued together to make plywood.
Informal. plywood.
bent, bias, or inclination.

verb (used with object),plied, ply·ing.

British Dialect. to bend, fold, or mold.

verb (used without object),plied, ply·ing.

Obsolete. to bend, incline, or yield.

Origin of ply

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”; see origin at fold¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ply in a sentence

That’s why long freight trains, such as the ones that ply across the North American continent, are ideal.
Vibrations from trains could help seismologists peer underground | Rahul Rao | February 1, 2021 | Popular-Science
These bags are single-ply which means stains and smells are easily removed because can’t get trapped in between layers of fabric.
Wonderful wet bags for you and your kid | PopSci Commerce Team | January 18, 2021 | Popular-Science
The two men ply their trades in different fields and on different continents and are separated by at least 100 pounds.
Why a Little Discipline Goes a Long Way | Brad Stulberg | January 6, 2021 | Outside Online
The way it all moved looked all futuristic as the lead sprang to 21-7 across the first 21 minutes, at least until Notre Dame plied its general excellence and particular adjustments to tame the show from there.
Alabama advances to the national title game with an artful offensive performance | Chuck Culpepper, Des Bieler | January 2, 2021 | Washington Post
Add in old-growth forests, rolling hills, and the odd wolf pack and you have a great hike, no matter which sections you choose to ply.
5 of the Country's Most Unique Treks | Outside Editors | November 3, 2020 | Outside Online

A lot of patients are fed up with being plied with pharmaceuticals and are turning to alternative practitioners.
Clinton Doc: This Is How We’ll Fix Health Care | Daniela Drake | June 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
We walked through shady villages where children plied us for pens before running after us, giggling and curious.
On Foot in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco | Joanna Eede | January 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
And more so because I plied the same trade as Llewyn Davis for a while.
Interview: T Bone Burnett, the Coen Brothers’ Music Guru | Andrew Romano | December 13, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
In other words, I still plied my trade but now I worried about things.
Leonid McGill, Private Investigator | Walter Mosley | March 24, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
She bathed Madame Ratignolle's face with cologne, while Robert plied the fan with unnecessary vigor.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate Chopin
They quickly “got into step,” as Amy called it, and their paddles literally plied the lake as one.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn | Margaret Penrose
The comfortable yet humble apartments of the engraver were over the shop where he plied his daily toil.
Madame Roland, Makers of History | John S. C. Abbott
The boatmen sang in deep and almost tragic voices as they plied the enormous oars.
Bella Donna | Robert Hichens
The new-comers gathered around the caribou and plied the successful hunters with questions.
Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail | Arthur R. Thompson

British Dictionary definitions for ply (1 of 2)

ply¹

/ (plaɪ) /

verbplies, plying or plied (mainly tr)

to carry on, pursue, or work at (a job, trade, etc)
to manipulate or wield (a tool)

to sell (goods, wares, etc), esp at a regular place
(usually foll by with) to provide (with) or subject (to) repeatedly or persistently: he plied us with drink the whole evening; to ply a horse with a whip; he plied the speaker with questions
(intr) to perform or work steadily or diligently: to ply with a spade
(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

Origin of ply

C14 plye, short for aplye to apply

British Dictionary definitions for ply (2 of 2)

ply²

/ (plaɪ) /

nounplural plies

- a layer, fold, or thickness, as of cloth, wood, yarn, etc
- (in combination): four-ply
a thin sheet of wood glued to other similar sheets to form plywood

one of the strands twisted together to make rope, yarn, etc

verb(tr)

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

Origin of ply

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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