Your ShelfYour Projects
Webster's Dictionary (1865)

3 entries under this word

Plow

Plow or Plough, n.

noun

(plou), Plough, n. [L. Ger. & Sw. plog, Icel. plôgr, Dan. ploug, plov, D. ploeg, L. Ger. ploog, O. H. Ger. phluoch, M. H. Ger. pfluoc, N. H. Ger. pflug, probably from Slav. ploug, Russ. & Pol. plug, Bohem. pluh, Lith. plugas, Alban. πλιούαρ.]

  1. (Agr.) A well-known implement for turning up the soil, drawn by animal or other power. “Where fern succeeds ungrateful to the plow.” Dryden.
  2. Hence, culture of the earth; agriculture; tillage.
  3. A joiner’s instrument for grooving.
  4. A knife or machine for cutting or trimming paper, used by bookbinders and paper-makers.

Plow or Plough, v. t.

verbtransitive

(plou), Plough, v. t. [imp. & p. p. PLOWED, or PLOUGHED; p. pr. & vb. n. PLOWING, or PLOUGHING.]

  1. To trench and turn up with a plow; as, to plow the ground for wheat; to plow it into ridges.
  2. To furrow; to divide; to run through in sailing.

With speed we plow the watery wave. Pope. 3. To turn up and devastate; to dig into or lay waste. Let the Volces plow Rome. Shak. 4. To cut or trim, as paper, with a knife or press. To plow in, to cover by plowing; as, to plow in wheat. — To plow on the back, to scourge; to mangle, or to persecute and torment. Ps. cxxix. 3. — To plow up or out, to turn out of the ground by plowing. — To plow with one's heifer, to deal with the wife to obtain something from the husband. Judges xiv. 18.

Plow or Plough, v. i.

verbintransitive

Sense 1. To labor with a plow.

He that ploweth should plow in hope. 1 Cor. ix. 10.

Sense 2. To advance by plowing, or in spite of obstacles.

Guided by faith and matchless fortitude, To peace and truth thy glorious way hast plowed. Milton.

Also printed under this word