Ply - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Plywood manufacturer
Spanish poplar plywood Boards faced whith tropical veneers
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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ply1

Audio Help [plahy] Pronunciation Key verb, plied, ply·ing.

–verb (used with object)

1.	to work with or at diligently; employ busily; use: to ply the needle.

2.	to carry on, practice, or pursue busily or steadily: to ply a trade.

3.	to treat with or apply to (something) repeatedly (often fol. by with): to ply a fire with fresh fuel.

4.	to assail persistently: to ply horses with a whip.

5.	to supply with or offer something pressingly to: to ply a person with drink.

6.	to address (someone) persistently or importunately, as with questions, solicitations, etc.; importune.

7.	to pass over or along (a river, stream, etc.) steadily or on a regular basis: boats that ply the Mississippi.

–verb (used without object)

8.	to run or travel regularly over a fixed course or between certain places, as a boat, bus, etc.

9.	to perform one's work or office busily or steadily: to ply with the oars; to ply at a trade.

[Origin: 1300–50; ME plien, aph. var. of aplien to apply

]

—Related forms

ply·ing·ly, adverb

—Synonyms 2. follow, exercise.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Ply

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ply2

Audio Help [plahy] Pronunciation Key noun, plural plies, verb, plied, ply·ing.

–noun

1.	a thickness or layer.

2.	Automotive. a layer of reinforcing fabric for a tire.

3.	a unit of yarn: single ply.

4.	one of the sheets of veneer that are glued together to make plywood.

5.	Informal. plywood.

6.	bent, bias, or inclination.

–verb (used with object)

7.	British Dialect. to bend, fold, or mold.

–verb (used without object)

8.	Obsolete. to bend, incline, or yield.

[Origin: 1300–50; ME plien (v.) < MF plier to fold, bend, var. of ployer, OF pleier < L plicāre to fold; see fold¹

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ply¹ Audio Help (plī) Pronunciation Key
tr.v. plied (plīd), ply·ing, plies (plīz)

To join together, as by molding or twisting.
To double over (cloth, for example).

n. pl. plies (plīz)

A layer, as of doubled-over cloth or of paperboard.
One of the sheets of wood glued together to form plywood.
A layer of rubber-coated fabric, often of nylon or polyester cords, forming the body of an automobile tire.
One of the strands twisted together to make yarn, rope, or thread. Often used in combination: three-ply cord.
A bias; an inclination.

[Middle English plien, from Old French plier, alteration of pleier, from Latin plicāre, to fold; see plek- in Indo-European roots.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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ply² Audio Help   (plī) Pronunciation Key
v.   plied (plīd), ply·ing, plies (plīz)

v.   tr.

To use diligently; wield: ply a knitting needle.
To engage in diligently; practice: plied the carpenter's trade. See Synonyms at handle.
To traverse or sail over regularly: Trading ships plied the routes between coastal ports.
To continue offering something to; ensure that (another) is abundantly served: plied their guests with excellent food.
To assail vigorously.

v. intr.

To traverse a route or course regularly: The boat plies between the islands on a weekly schedule.
To perform or work diligently or regularly: plied at the weaver's trade for 20 years.
Nautical To work against the wind by a zigzag course; tack.

[Middle English plien, from applien, to apply; see apply.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ply (v.)

"work with, use," c.1300, shortened form of applien "join to, apply," from O.Fr. aplier, from L. applicare "to attach, apply," from op- "on" + plicare "to lay, fold, twist," from PIE base *plek- "to plait, twist" (cf. Gk. plekein "to plait," L. plectere "to plait, braid, intertwine," O.C.S. plesti "to braid, plait, twist," Goth. flahta "braid"). Sense of "travel regularly" is first 1803.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ply (n.)

"layer," 1470, from M.Fr. pli "a fold" (13c.), from O.Fr. ploi (12c.), from stem of ployer (later pleier) "to bend, to fold," from L. plicare "to fold, lay" see ply (v.)). Now mainly in plywood (1907), which is called that because the layers are so arranged that the grain of one runs at right angles to that of the next.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

ply
noun
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
verb
1.	give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance; "The hostess provided lunch for all the guests" [syn: provide]
2.	apply oneself diligently; "Ply one's trade"
3.	travel a route regularly; "Ships ply the waters near the coast"
4.	join together as by twisting, weaving, or molding; "ply fabric"
5.	wield vigorously; "ply an axe"
6.	use diligently; "ply your wits!"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ply1 [plai] verb

an old word for to work at
Example: He plies his trade as weaver.

Arabic:	يَعْمَل ، يَشْتَغِل كَ
Chinese (Simplified):	从事
Chinese (Traditional):	從事
Czech:	provozovat
Danish:	udøve
Dutch:	beoefenen
Estonian:	ametit pidama
Finnish:	harjoittaa ammattia
French:	exercer (un métier)
German:	ausüben
Greek:	ασκώ επάγγελμα (αρχ.)
Hungarian:	dolgozik
Icelandic:	iðka, vinna við
Indonesian:	mengerjakan
Japanese:	～にせいを出す

Korean:	…에 힘쓰다; 열심히 일하다
Latvian:	strādāt, pūlēties
Lithuanian:	užsiimti
Norwegian:	utøve, drive
Polish:	uprawiać, pracować
Portuguese (Brazil):	exercer
Portuguese (Portugal):	exercer
Romanian:	a-şi face meseria (de)
Russian:	заниматься
Slovak:	vykonávať
Slovenian:	opravljati
Spanish:	ejercer
Swedish:	arbeta träget
Turkish:	çalışmak, (işini) yapmak

ply2 [plai] verb

to use (a tool etc) vigorously

Arabic:	يَسْتَعْمِل بِشِدَّه
Chinese (Simplified):	使劲挥舞
Chinese (Traditional):	使勁揮舞
Czech:	dobře ovládat
Danish:	bruge energisk
Dutch:	hanteren
Estonian:	osavalt käsitsema
Finnish:	käytellä
French:	manier vigoureusement
German:	hantieren mit
Greek:	χειρίζομαι
Hungarian:	használ
Icelandic:	nota, beita
Indonesian:	menggunakan
Japanese:	せっせと使う

Korean:	(도구)를 부지런히 쓰다
Latvian:	rīkoties (ar kaut ko)
Lithuanian:	energingai darbuotis
Norwegian:	bruke flittig
Polish:	machać
Portuguese (Brazil):	manejar
Portuguese (Portugal):	manejar
Romanian:	a mânui
Russian:	усердно работать; налегать
Slovak:	dobre ovládať
Slovenian:	(pridno) uporabljati
Spanish:	manejar
Swedish:	använda, bruka
Turkish:	kullanmak, sürekli çalışmak

ply3 [plai] verb

to keep supplying
Example: They plied their guests with drink.

Arabic:	يُواصِل تَزْويد
Chinese (Simplified):	不断供应
Chinese (Traditional):	不斷供應
Czech:	stále nalévat
Danish:	forsyne
Dutch:	voeren
Estonian:	pakkumist jätkama
Finnish:	tarjota
French:	fournir sans arrêt
German:	nötigen zu
Greek:	στουμπώνω, προσφέρω φορτικά
Hungarian:	ellát
Icelandic:	veita óspart
Indonesian:	memberi
Japanese:	どんどん出す

Korean:	자꾸 주다
Latvian:	apgādāt
Lithuanian:	primygtinai siūlyti, vaišinti
Norwegian:	forsyne rikelig
Polish:	raczyć
Portuguese (Brazil):	cumular de
Portuguese (Portugal):	encher de
Romanian:	a copleşi cu
Russian:	усиленно угощать
Slovak:	stále nalievať
Slovenian:	redno oskrbovati
Spanish:	no parar de ofrecer
Swedish:	bjuda, traktera
Turkish:	ikrama boğmak

ply [plai] noun

a thickness, layer or strand, as in three-ply / two-ply wool

Arabic:	سُمْك، طَبَقَه
Chinese (Simplified):	层（厚度）
Chinese (Traditional):	層(厚度)
Czech:	síla, pramen
Danish:	-trådet
Dutch:	laag
Estonian:	kiht
Finnish:	paksuus, kertainen
French:	épaisseur, fil
German:	-fach
Greek:	φύλλο (κοντραπλακέ), κλωνί (μαλλιού)
Hungarian:	-rétegű, -szálú
Icelandic:	lag
Indonesian:	lapisan, lipatan
Japanese:	重ね

Korean:	두께, 층, 가닥
Latvian:	kārta; šķiedra
Lithuanian:	gija, sluoksnis
Norwegian:	lag, —tråds
Polish:	warstwa
Portuguese (Brazil):	espessura
Portuguese (Portugal):	camada
Romanian:	grosime, fir
Russian:	слой
Slovak:	hrúbka; prameň
Slovenian:	debelina (blaga); vlakno
Spanish:	capa, cabo, chapa
Swedish:	lager, skikt
Turkish:	kat, tabaka

See also: plywood

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

ply mathematics, data
1. Of a node in a tree, the number of branches between that node and the root.
2. Of a tree, the maximum ply of any of its nodes.
(1998-12-29)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Ply

Ap*ply"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Applied; p. pr. & vb. n. Applying.] [OF. aplier, F. appliquer, fr. L. applicare to join, fix, or attach to; ad + plicare to fold, to twist together. See Applicant, Ply.]

1. To lay or place; to put or adjust (one thing to another); -- with to; as, to apply the hand to the breast; to apply medicaments to a diseased part of the body.

He said, and the sword his throat applied. --Dryden.

2. To put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case; to appropriate; to devote; as, to apply money to the payment of a debt.

3. To make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relative; as, to apply the testimony to the case; to apply an epithet to a person.

Yet God at last To Satan, first in sin, his doom applied. --Milton.

4. To fix closely; to engage and employ diligently, or with attention; to attach; to incline.

Apply thine heart unto instruction. --Prov. xxiii. 12.

5. To direct or address. [R.]

Sacred vows . . . applied to grisly Pluto. --Pope.

6. To betake; to address; to refer; -- used reflexively.

I applied myself to him for help. --Johnson.

7. To busy; to keep at work; to ply. [Obs.]

She was skillful in applying his "humors." --Sir P. Sidney.

8. To visit. [Obs.]

And he applied each place so fast. --Chapman.

Applied chemistry. See under Chemistry.

Applied mathematics. See under Mathematics.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Ply

Com*ply"\, v. t. [See comply, v. i.]

1. To fulfill; to accomplish. [Obs.] --Chapman.

2. [Cf. L. complicare to fold up. See Ply.] To infold; to embrace. [Obs.]

Seemed to comply, Cloudlike, the daintie deitie. --Herrick.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Ply

De*ploy"\, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Deployed; p. pr. & vb. n. Deploying.] [F. d['e]ployer; pref. d['e]? = d['e]s (L. dis) + ployer, equiv. to plier to fold, fr. L. plicare. See Ply, and cf. Display.] (Mil.) To open out; to unfold; to spread out (a body of troops) in such a way that they shall display a wider front and less depth; -- the reverse of ploy; as, to deploy a column of troops into line of battle.

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