plough
[verb]
Synonyms:
- turn over, cultivate, dig, till
- usually with through: forge, cut, drive, plunge, press, push, wade

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English Thesaurus: dig, make a hole, burrow, plough, excavate, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

Plough, the British English, the Plow American English
a group of seven bright stars that can only be seen from the northern part of the world. They form part of the constellation (=group of stars) called Ursa Major, and in the US they are often called the Big Dipper.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

I. plough¹ (also plow American English) /plaʊ/ noun [countable]

1. a piece of farm equipment used to turn over the earth so that seeds can be planted

2. under the plough British English formal land that is under the plough is used for growing crops
⇒ snow plough(1)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. plough² (also plow American English) verb

1. [intransitive and transitive] to turn over the earth using a plough so that seeds can be planted:
In those days the land was plowed by oxen.
a ploughed field

2. [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move with a lot of effort or force
plough through/up/across etc
We ploughed through the thick mud.

3. plough a lonely/lone furrow British English literary to do a job or activity that is different from those done by other people, or to do it alone
plough ahead phrasal verb
to continue to do something in spite of opposition or difficulties
plough ahead with
The government will plough ahead with tests this year, despite a boycott from teachers.
plough something ↔ back phrasal verb
to use money that you have earned from a business to make the business bigger and more successful
plough something ↔ back into
Companies can plough back their profits into new equipment.
plough into somebody/something phrasal verb
to crash into something or someone, especially while driving, because you are unable to stop quickly enough:
I plowed into the car in front.
plough on phrasal verb
to continue doing something that is difficult or boring
plough on with
Julia ploughed on with the endless exam papers.
He looked displeased but she ploughed on regardless.
plough through something phrasal verb
to read all of something, even though it is boring and takes a long time:
Most staff will never want to plough through the manuals that come with the software.
plough something ↔ up phrasal verb
to break up the surface of the ground by travelling over it many times:
Horses plough up the paths and make them muddy for walkers.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

plough
noun
ADJ. heavy
VERB + PLOUGH draw, pull They need two horses to pull these heavy ploughs.
guide
PLOUGH + NOUN boy, team | furrow

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

dig to make a hole in the ground using your hands, a tool, or a machine:
Some workmen were digging a trench at the side of the road.
In Africa, the people know where to dig for water.
make a hole to dig a hole in the ground, using your hands or a tool:
Make a hole just big enough for the plant’s roots.
burrow /ˈbʌrəʊ $ ˈbɜːroʊ/ if an animal burrows, it makes a hole or a passage in the ground by digging the earth with its feet, nose etc:
The rabbits had burrowed a hole under the fence.
plough British English, plow American English /plaʊ/ to turn over the soil using a machine or a tool pulled by animals, to prepare the soil for planting seeds:
The farmers here still plough their fields using buffaloes.
excavate /ˈekskəveɪt/ formal to dig a large hole in the ground, especially as a preparation for building something:
The men began excavating the hole for the pool.
bore to make a deep round hole in the ground using a special machine, especially in order to look for oil or water:
Companies need a special licence to bore for oil.
comment something that you say or write in order to give your opinion:
Does anyone have any comments?
Readers are invited to send in their comments and suggestions.
remark something that you say:
Just ignore them if they start making rude remarks.
I’m not sure what he meant by that last remark.
point something that someone mentions about a subject in a discussion, argument, article etc:
That’s an interesting point, Steve.
He raises (=mentions) a number of important points in his paper.
observation a comment in which you say what you think or have noticed about something:
Karl Marx made the observation that history repeats itself first as tragedy, second as farce.
aside a comment made in a low voice, that you intend only certain people to hear:
‘Is that true?’, she whispered in an aside to Don.
quip /kwɪp/ a clever and amusing comment:
She knew she should reply with some light-hearted quip.
taunt /tɔːnt $ tɒːnt/ a comment intended to make someone angry or upset:
The fans made racist taunts throughout the game.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

dig to make a hole in the ground using your hands, a tool, or a machine:
Some workmen were digging a trench at the side of the road.
In Africa, the people know where to dig for water.
make a hole to dig a hole in the ground, using your hands or a tool:
Make a hole just big enough for the plant’s roots.
burrow /ˈbʌrəʊ $ ˈbɜːroʊ/ if an animal burrows, it makes a hole or a passage in the ground by digging the earth with its feet, nose etc:
The rabbits had burrowed a hole under the fence.
plough British English, plow American English /plaʊ/ to turn over the soil using a machine or a tool pulled by animals, to prepare the soil for planting seeds:
The farmers here still plough their fields using buffaloes.
excavate /ˈekskəveɪt/ formal to dig a large hole in the ground, especially as a preparation for building something:
The men began excavating the hole for the pool.
bore to make a deep round hole in the ground using a special machine, especially in order to look for oil or water:
Companies need a special licence to bore for oil.
make a hole in something to cause a hole to appear in something:
Make a hole in the bottom of the can using a hammer and nail.
pierce to make a small hole in or through something, using a pointed object:
The dog's teeth had pierced her skin.
Shelley wanted to have her ears pierced (=for earrings).
prick to make a very small hole in the surface of something, using a pointed object:
Prick the potatoes before baking them.
My finger was bleeding where the needle had pricked it.
punch to make a hole through paper or flat material using a metal tool or other sharp object:
I bought one of those things for punching holes in paper.
You have to get your ticket punched before you get on the train.
puncture to make a small hole in something, especially something where skin or a wall surrounds a softer or hollow inside part:
The bullet had punctured his lung.
perforate formal to make a hole or holes in something:
Fragments of the bullet had perforated his intestines.
drill to make a hole using a special tool, often one which turns round and round very quickly:
The dentist started drilling a hole in my tooth.
They won a contract to drill for oil in the area.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲