ply

ply¹

—plyingly, adv.

/pluy/, v., plied, plying.

v.t.

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.

3. to treat with or apply to (something) repeatedly (often fol. 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 importunately, 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.

v.i.

8. to run or travel regularly over a fixed course or between certain places, as a boat, bus, etc.

9. to perform one's work or office busily or steadily: to ply with the oars; to ply at a trade.

[1300-50; ME plien, aph. var. of aplien to APPLY]

Syn. 2. follow, exercise.

ply²

/pluy/, n., pl. plies, v., plied, plying.

n.

1. a thickness or layer.

2. Auto. 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.

v.t.

7. Brit. Dial. to bend, fold, or mold.

v.i.

8. Obs. to bend, incline, or yield.

[1300-50; ME plien (v.) < MF plier to fold, bend, var. of ployer, OF pleier < L plicare to fold; see FOLD¹]

* * *