GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

last match results

Found 3 definitions

1.       
   Ply , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plied ; p. pr. & vb. n. Plying .] [OE. plien, F. plier to fold, to bend, fr. L. plicare; akin to Gr. , G. flechten. Cf. Apply, Complex, Display, Duplicity, Employ, Exploit, Implicate, Plait, Pliant, Flax.]
   To bend. [Obs.]
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   As men may warm wax with handes plie.
   Chaucer.
   
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   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.
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   And plies him with redoubled strokes
   Dryden.
   
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   He plies the duke at morning and at night.
   Shak.
   
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   To employ diligently; to use steadily.
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   Go ply thy needle; meddle not.
   Shak.
   
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   To practice or perform with diligence; to work at.
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   Their bloody task, unwearied, still they ply.
   Waller.
   
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2.       
   Ply, v. i.
   To bend; to yield. [Obs.]
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   It would rather burst atwo than plye.
   Chaucer.
   
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   The willow plied, and gave way to the gust.
   L'Estrange.
   
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   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.
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   Ere half these authors be read (which will soon be with plying hard and daily).
   Milton.
   
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   He was forced to ply in the streets as a porter.
   Addison.
   
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   The heavy hammers and mallets plied.
   Longfellow.
   
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   (Naut.) To work to windward; to beat.
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3.       
   Ply, n. [Cf. F. pli, fr. plier. See Ply, v.]
    A fold; a plait; a turn or twist, as of a cord.
   Arbuthnot.
   
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   Bent; turn; direction; bias.
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   The late learners can not so well take the ply.
   Bacon.
   
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   Boswell, and others of Goldsmith's contemporaries, . . . did not understand the secret plies of his character.
   W. Irving.
   
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   The czar's mind had taken a strange ply, which it retained to the last.
   Macaulay.
   
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   ☞ Ply is used in composition to designate folds, or the number of webs interwoven; as, a three-ply carpet.
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