plow

American  

[plou] / plaʊ /

especially British, plough

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.

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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 British  

/ plaʊ /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of plough

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of plow

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

Example Sentences

Then he bought a turning plow, some seed corn, and a milk cow.

From Literature

He said 2,600 sanitation workers were plowing roads, plus an additional 1,400 emergency snow shovelers who were clearing sidewalks and bus stops.

From BBC

In Providence, a city spokesman told The Providence Journal that more than 300 vehicles had been towed for parking in the way of plows.

From BBC

Flag isn’t like the Baxters’ other animals: He can’t pull a plow, track a bear, provide milk, or become a plateful of cracklings.

From The Wall Street Journal

It is somewhat like asking a strong workhorse to pull a plow while obstacles constantly appear in its path faster than anyone can react.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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