Plough

Pronunciation

• IPA: /plaÊŠ/
• Rhymes: -aÊŠ

Alternative forms

• US plow

Origin

From Middle English plouh, plow, plugh(e), plough(e), plouw, from Old English plōh ("hide of land, ploughland") and Old Norse plógr ("plough (the implement)"), both from Proto-Germanic *plōgaz, *plōguz ("plough"). Cognate with Scots pleuch, plou ("plough"), West Frisian ploech ("plough"), North Frisian plog ("plough"), Dutch ploeg ("plough"), Low German Ploog ("plough"), German Pflug ("plough"), Danish plov ("plough"), Swedish and Norwegian plog ("plough"), Icelandic plógur ("plough"). Replaced Old English sulh ("plough, furrow"); see sullow.

Full definition of plough

Noun

1. A device pulled through the ground in order to break it open into furrows for planting.The horse-drawn plough had a tremendous impact on agriculture.
2. An alternative name for Ursa Major or the Great Bear.
3. A carucate of land; a ploughland.
• Tale of GamelynJohan, mine eldest son, shall have plowes five.
4. A joiner's plane for making grooves.
5. A bookbinder's implement for trimming or shaving off the edges of books.

Usage notes

The spelling plow is usual in the United States, but the spelling plough may be found in literary or historical contexts there.

Derived terms

Verb

1. (transitive) To use a plough on to prepare for planting.I've still got to plough that field.
2. (intransitive) To use a plough.Some days I have to plough from sunrise to sunset.
3. (transitive, vulgar) To have sex with.
4. To move with force.
• 2011, January 18, , Wolverhampton 5 - 0 Doncaster, Wolves continued to plough forward as young Belgian midfielder Mujangi Bia and Ronald Zubar both hit shots wide from good positions.
5. To furrow; to make furrows, grooves, or ridges in; to run through, as in sailing.
• ShakespeareLet patient Octavia plough thy visage up
  With her prepared nails.
• Alexander PopeWith speed we plough the watery way.
6. (bookbinding) To trim, or shave off the edges of, as a book or paper, with a plough.
7. (joinery) To cut a groove in, as in a plank, or the edge of a board; especially, a rectangular groove to receive the end of a shelf or tread, the edge of a panel, a tongue, etc.

Derived terms