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

As tech companies and other investors plow hundreds of billions into the power-hungry data centers needed to power AI models, the U.S. is seeing surging energy demand.

From The Wall Street Journal

After plowing cash into gold exchange-traded funds over the past year, individual investors’ enthusiasm for the precious metal is showing some signs of cooling.

From The Wall Street Journal

He published it at age 59, when his own adventures in nervous-system regulation allowed him to bend his formerly stiff body backwards into a plow pose.

From The Wall Street Journal

I thought so too, though I doubted they’d stolen the bell rope for plow lines.

From Literature

The boys hung on to the hem of Ba’s jacket as we plowed through the mob thick with porters and travelers towing suitcases.

From Literature

Related Words

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