ply
verb/plaɪ/
/plaɪ/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they ply | /plaɪ/ /plaɪ/ |
| he / she / it plies | /plaɪz/ /plaɪz/ |
| past simple plied | /plaɪd/ /plaɪd/ |
| past participle plied | /plaɪd/ /plaɪd/ |
| -ing form plying | /ˈplaɪɪŋ/ /ˈplaɪɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] (literary or Indian English) (of ships, buses, etc.) to travel regularly along a particular route or between two particular places
- + adv./prep. Ferries ply across a narrow strait to the island.
- The train plies twice a day between Paris and Madrid.
- Buses ply regularly to and from these places.
- ply something canals plied by gondolas and steam boats
- ships plying the route between Tripoli and Malta
- [transitive] ply something (formal) to use a tool, especially with skill
- The tailor delicately plied his needle.
Word Originverb late Middle English: shortening of apply.
Idioms
See ply in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionaryply for hire/trade/business
- (British English) to look for customers, passengers, etc. in order to do business
- taxis plying for hire outside the theatre
ply your trade
- to do your work or business
- This is the restaurant where he plied his trade as a cook.
- Drug dealers openly plied their trade in front of children.
Check pronunciation:
ply