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

Hanwha, which has deep pockets and extensive shipbuilding know-how, has vowed to plow $5 billion into upgrades and dramatically multiply the workforce.

From The Wall Street Journal

The homeowners able to plow ahead generally have more money and have received more from their insurers than others.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the largest U.S. oil companies best positioned to plow money into Venezuela haven’t committed to the venture thus far.

From The Wall Street Journal

Retail traders plowed a record net $40 billion into stocks that month, JP Morgan Chase analysts reported, helping to kick-start the rebound.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet U.S. commercial airports remove snow manually with plows, brushes, blowers and shovels, along with chemical de-icers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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