1. plough(n = noun.object) big dipper, charles's wain, dipper, wagon, wain - a group of seven bright stars in the constellation Ursa Major;
is a kind of asterism
is a part of great bear, ursa major
2. plough(n = noun.artifact) plow - a farm tool having one or more heavy blades to break the soil and cut a furrow prior to sowing;
is a kind of tool
has particulars: bull tongue, moldboard plow, mouldboard plough
Derived form verb plough2
1. plough(v = verb.motion) plow - move in a way resembling that of a plow cutting into or going through the soil; "The ship plowed through the water"
is one way to go, locomote, move, travel
Sample sentences:
Something is ----ing PP; Somebody ----s PP
2. plough(v = verb.creation) plow, turn - to break and turn over earth especially with a plow; "Farmer Jones plowed his east field last week"; "turn the earth in the Spring"
is one way to till
Derived forms noun plough2, noun ploughing1
Sample sentences:
Somebody ----s; Somebody ----s something
See Plow. [1913 Webster]
1. A well-known implement, drawn by horses, mules, oxen, or other power, for turning up the soil to prepare it for bearing crops; also used to furrow or break up the soil for other purposes; as, the subsoil plow; the draining plow. [1913 Webster]
"Where fern succeeds ungrateful to the plow." [1913 Webster]
2. Fig.: Agriculture; husbandry. Johnson. [1913 Webster]
3. A carucate of land; a plowland. [1913 Webster]
"Johan, mine eldest son, shall have plowes five." [1913 Webster]
4. A joiner's plane for making grooves; a grooving plane. [1913 Webster]
5. An implement for trimming or shaving off the edges of books. [1913 Webster]
6. Same as Charles's Wain. [1913 Webster]
1. To turn up, break up, or trench, with a plow; to till with, or as with, a plow; as, to plow the ground; to plow a field. [1913 Webster]
2. To furrow; to make furrows, grooves, or ridges in; to run through, as in sailing. [1913 Webster]
"Let patient Octavia plow thy visage up
With her prepared nails." [1913 Webster]
"With speed we plow the watery way." [1913 Webster]
3. To trim, or shave off the edges of, as a book or paper, with a plow. See Plow,
4. 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. [1913 Webster]
To labor with, or as with, a plow; to till or turn up the soil with a plow; to prepare the soil or bed for anything. Shak. [1913 Webster]
"Doth the plowman plow all day to sow ?" [1913 Webster]
plough, n. & v. (esp. US plow)
--n.
1 an implement with a cutting blade fixed in a frame drawn by a tractor or by horses, for cutting furrows in the soil and turning it up.
2 an implement resembling this and having a comparable function (snowplough).
3 ploughed land.
4 (the Plough) the constellation Ursa Major or its seven bright stars.
--v.
1 tr. (also absol.) turn up (the earth) with a plough, esp. before sowing.
2 tr. (foll. by out, up, down, etc.) turn or extract (roots, weeds, etc.) with a plough.
3 tr. furrow or scratch (a surface) as if with a plough.
4 tr. produce (a furrow or line) in this way.
5 intr. (foll. by through) advance laboriously, esp. through work, a book, etc.
6 intr. (foll. by through, into) move like a plough violently.
7 intr. & tr. Brit. colloq. fail in an examination.
Idiom:
plough back
1 plough (grass etc.) into the soil to enrich it.
2 reinvest (profits) in the business producing them. Plough Monday the first Monday after the Epiphany. put one's hand to the plough undertake a task (Luke 9:62).
Derivative:
ploughable adj. plougher n.
Etymology:
OE ploh f. ON pl{oacute}gr f. Gmc
VB cultivate, till the soil, farm, garden, sow, plant, reap, mow, cut, manure, dress the ground, dig, delve, dibble, hoe, plough, plow, harrow, rake, weed, lop and top, backset.