Result from Foreign Dictionaries (4 entries found)

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Ply \Ply\, v. i. 1. To bend; to yield. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] It would rather burst atwo than plye. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] The willow plied, and gave way to the gust. --L'Estrange. [1913 Webster] 2. 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. [1913 Webster] Ere half these authors be read (which will soon be with plying hard and daily). --Milton. [1913 Webster] He was forced to ply in the streets as a porter. --Addison. [1913 Webster] The heavy hammers and mallets plied. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster] 3. (Naut.) To work to windward; to beat. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Ply \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}.] 1. To bend. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] As men may warm wax with handes plie. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 2. 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. [1913 Webster] And plies him with redoubled strokes --Dryden. [1913 Webster] He plies the duke at morning and at night. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 3. To employ diligently; to use steadily. [1913 Webster] Go ply thy needle; meddle not. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 4. To practice or perform with diligence; to work at. [1913 Webster] Their bloody task, unwearied, still they ply. --Waller. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Ply \Ply\, n. [Cf. F. pli, fr. plier. See {Ply}, v.] 1. A fold; a plait; a turn or twist, as of a cord. --Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster] 2. Bent; turn; direction; bias. [1913 Webster] The late learners can not so well take the ply. --Bacon. [1913 Webster] Boswell, and others of Goldsmith's contemporaries, . . . did not understand the secret plies of his character. --W. Irving. [1913 Webster] The czar's mind had taken a strange ply, which it retained to the last. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster] Note: Ply is used in composition to designate folds, or the number of webs interwoven; as, a three-ply carpet. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: ply n 1: one of the strands twisted together to make yarn or rope or thread; often used in combination; "three-ply cord"; "four- ply yarn" 2: (usually in combinations) one of several layers of cloth or paper or wood as in plywood v 1: give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance; "The hostess provided lunch for all the guests" [syn: {provide}, {supply}, {ply}, {cater}] 2: apply oneself diligently; "Ply one's trade" 3: travel a route regularly; "Ships ply the waters near the coast" [syn: {ply}, {run}] 4: join together as by twisting, weaving, or molding; "ply fabric" 5: wield vigorously; "ply an axe" 6: use diligently; "ply your wits!"