ply
[verb]
Synonyms:
- work at, carry on, exercise, follow, practise, pursue
- use, employ, handle, manipulate, wield

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Related Words: exercise, function

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. ply¹ /plaɪ/ verb (past tense and past participle plied, present participle plying, third person singular plies)
[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: apply]

1. ply your trade literary to work at your business, especially buying and selling things on the street:
In some areas, drug dealers openly ply their trade on street corners.

2. [I, T always + adv/prep] written if a ship, bus etc plies between two places or across a place, it does that journey regularly
ply between/across etc
Two ferries ply between Tripoli and Malta every day.

3. ply for hire/trade British English to try to get customers or passengers, in order to do business:
Continental airlines ply for trade in the UK.

4. [transitive] old use literary to use a tool skilfully
ply somebody with something phrasal verb

1. to keep giving someone large quantities of food or drink:
The local people plied me with beer, until I could barely move.

2. ply somebody with questions to keep asking someone questions

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. ply² noun (plural ply) [countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: pli, from Old French plier; ⇒ pliers]
a unit for measuring the thickness of thread, rope, plywood etc, based on the number of threads or layers that it has:
a sweater in four-ply yarn

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲