Ply means to work steadily at something. If you've got a lemonade stand and you're busy perfecting your recipe and seeking out customers, you're doing a good job of plying your trade.
To bend.
Noun
(usually in combinations) one of several layers of cloth or paper or wood as in plywood
Noun
one of the strands twisted together to make yarn or rope or thread; often used in combination; "three-ply cord"; "four-ply yarn"
Verb
use diligently; "ply your wits!"
Verb
provide what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance; "The hostess provided lunch for all the guests"
Verb
wield vigorously; "ply an axe"
Verb
travel a route regularly; "Ships ply the waters near the coast"
Verb
apply oneself diligently; "Ply one''s trade"
v. t.
To bend.
v. t.
To lay on closely, or in folds; to work upon steadily, or
with repeated acts; to press upon; to urge importunately; as, to ply
one with questions, with solicitations, or with drink.
v. t.
To employ diligently; to use steadily.
v. t.
To practice or perform with diligence; to work at.
v. i.
To bend; to yield.
v. i.
To act, go, or work diligently and steadily; especially, to
do something by repeated actions; to go back and forth; as, a steamer
plies between certain ports.
v. i.
To work to windward; to beat.
v.
A fold; a plait; a turn or twist, as of a cord.
v.
Bent; turn; direction; bias.
Ply
As men may warm wax with handes plie.2.
And plies him with redoubled strokes
He plies the duke at morning and at night.3.
Go ply thy needle; meddle not.4.
Their bloody task, unwearied, still they ply.
Ply
It would rather burst atwo than plye.
The willow plied, and gave way to the gust.2.
Ere half these authors be read (which will soon be with plying hard and daily).
He was forced to ply in the streets as a porter.
The heavy hammers and mallets plied.3.
Ply
The late learners can not so well take the ply.
Boswell, and others of Goldsmith's contemporaries, . . . did not understand the secret plies of his character.
The czar's mind had taken a strange ply, which it retained to the last.
To bend.
To bend; to yield.
A fold; a plait; a turn or twist, as of a cord.
Usage Examples
ply, oply, 0ply, lply, oly, 0ly, lly, poly, p0ly, plly, pkly, poly, pply, p:ly, pky, poy, ppy, p:y, plky, ploy, plpy, pl:y, plty, pl6y, pl7y, pluy, plhy, plt, pl6, pl7, plu, plh, plyt, ply6, ply7, plyu, plyh.
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