Ap-plȳ'1, v. t.
[imp. & p. p. APPLIED; p. pr. & vb. n. APPLYING.] [O. Fr. applier, N. Fr. appliquer, Pr. & Sp. aplicar, from Lat. applicare, to join, fix, or attach to, from ad and plicare, to fold, to twist together. Cf. PLY, DISPLAY, and EMPLOY.]
Sense 1. To lay or place; to put, bring, or carry; — with to; as, to apply the hand to the breast; to apply medicaments to a diseased part of the body.
He said, and to the sword his throat applied. Dryden.
Sense 2. To use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case; to appropriate; to devote; as, to apply a sum of money to the payment of a debt.
Sense 3. To make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relative; as, to apply the testimony to the case; to apply an epithet to a person.
Yet God at last To Satan, first in sin, his doom applied. Milton.
Sense 4. To fix closely; to engage and employ diligently, or with attention; to incline.
Apply thy heart unto instruction. Prov. xxiii. 12.
Sense 5. To direct or address. “Sacred vows . . . applied to grisly Pluto.” [Rare.] Pope.
Sense 6. To betake; to address; to refer;—used reflexively. [Rare.]
I applied myself to him for help. Johnson.
Sense 7. To busy; to keep at work; to ply. [Obs.]
She was skillful in applying his “humors.” Sidney.
Sense 8. To visit. [Obs.] “And he applied each place so fast.” Chapman.