ply

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

ply, v. t. [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.].

•  To bend.  [1913 Webster]

  "As men may warm wax with handes plie."  [1913 Webster]
•  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"  [1913 Webster]

  "He plies the duke at morning and at night."  [1913 Webster]
•  To employ diligently; to use steadily.  [1913 Webster]

  "Go ply thy needle; meddle not."  [1913 Webster]
•  To practice or perform with diligence; to work at.  [1913 Webster]

  "Their bloody task, unwearied, still they ply."  [1913 Webster]

ply, v. i. 

•  To bend; to yield.  [1913 Webster]

  "It would rather burst atwo than plye."  [1913 Webster]

  "The willow plied, and gave way to the gust."  [1913 Webster]
•  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)."  [1913 Webster]

  "He was forced to ply in the streets as a porter."  [1913 Webster]

  "The heavy hammers and mallets plied."  [1913 Webster]
•  To work to windward; to beat.  [1913 Webster]

ply, n. [Cf. F. pli, fr. plier. See Ply, v.].

•  A fold; a plait; a turn or twist, as of a cord.  Arbuthnot.  [1913 Webster]
•  Bent; turn; direction; bias.  [1913 Webster]

  " Ply is used in composition to designate folds, or the number of webs interwoven; as, a three-ply carpet."  [1913 Webster]

  "The late learners can not so well take the ply."  [1913 Webster]

  "Boswell, and others of Goldsmith's contemporaries, . . . did not understand the secret plies of his character."  [1913 Webster]

  "The czar's mind had taken a strange ply, which it retained to the last."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

ply, n. (pl. -ies)
1 a thickness or layer of certain materials, esp. wood or cloth (three-ply).
2 a strand of yarn or rope etc.

ply, v. (-ies, -ied)
1 tr. use or wield vigorously (a tool, weapon, etc.).
2 tr. work steadily at (one's business or trade).
3 tr. (foll. by with) a supply (a person) continuously (with food, drink, etc.). b approach repeatedly (with questions, demands, etc.).
4 a intr. (often foll. by between) (of a vehicle etc.) travel regularly (to and fro between two points). b tr. work (a route) in this way.
5 intr. (of a taxi-driver, boatman, etc.) attend regularly for custom (ply for trade).
6 intr. sail to windward.

Etymology

ME plye, f. APPLY

THESAURUS

ply

about ship, apply pressure, back and fill, bear away, bear off, bear to starboard, beat, beat about, beat to windward, beset, besiege, blandish, boat, box off, break, bring about, bring round, bug, buttonhole, cajole, canoe, cant, cant round, carry sail, cast, cast about, change course, change the heading, circumnavigate, close-haul, coast, coat, coating, coax, collop, come about, come in contact, course, cover, covering, crease, creasing, crimp, crisp, cross, cruise, cut, deal, disk, dispense, do, do with, dog-ear, double, double a point, double over, doubling, dun, duplicature, employ, enfold, exercise, exert, exert pressure, feel, feel of, fetch about, feuille, film, finger, flap, flection, flexure, flick, flounce, flute, foil, fold, fold over, force upon, frill, function, gather, go about, go by ship, go on shipboard, go over, go to sea, gybe, handle, heave round, importune, infold, insist, interfold, jibe, jibe all standing, lamella, lamina, laminated glass, laminated wood, lap, lap over, lapel, lappet, leaf, luff, luff up, make a passage, make use of, manage, maneuver, manipulate, measure, membrane, miss stays, motorboat, nag, nag at, navigate, operate, overpass, palm, palpate, pane, panel, pass over, pass through, patina, patrol, paw, peel, pellicle, perambulate, peregrinate, pererrate, pester, pinch, plague, plait, plank, plat, plate, plating, play, pleat, plica, plicate, plication, plicature, ply upon, plywood, poke at, practice, press, press upon, pressure, prod, push, push upon, put about, put back, put forth, put out, quill, range, range over, rasher, reconnoiter, round a point, row, ruche, ruching, ruff, ruffle, run, safety glass, sail, sail fine, sail round, sail the sea, scour, scour the country, scout, scull, scum, seafare, sheer, sheet, shift, skin, slab, slat, slew, slice, steam, steamboat, sweep, swerve, swing, swing round, swing the stern, table, tablet, tack, take a voyage, tap, tease, throw, throw about, thrust upon, thumb, touch, touch the wind, track, transit, travel over, travel through, traverse, tuck, turn, turn back, turn over, twiddle, twill, urge, urge upon, use, utilize, veer, veneer, voyage, wafer, wear, wear ship, wheedle, wield, wind, work, work on, yacht, yaw

ROGET THESAURUS

ply

Use

VB use, make use of, employ, put to use, put in action, put in operation, put in practice, set in motion, set to work, ply, work, wield, handle, manipulate, play, play off, exert, exercise, practice, avail oneself of, profit by, resort to, have recourse to, recur to, take betake oneself to, take up with, take advantage of, lay one's hands on, try, render useful, mold, turn to account, turn to use, convert to use, utilize, work up, call into play, bring into play, put into requisition, call forth, draw forth, press into service, enlist into the service, bring to bear upon, devote, dedicate, consecrate, apply, adhibit, dispose of, make a handle of, make a cat's-paw of, fall back upon, make a shift with, make the most of, make the best of, use up, swallow up, consume, absorb, expend, tax, task, wear, put to task.

Exertion

VB exert oneself, exert one's energies, tax one's energies, use exertion, labor, work, toil, moil, sweat, fag, drudge, slave, drag a lengthened chain, wade through, strive, stretch a long arm, pull, tug, ply, ply the oar, tug at the oar, do the work, take the laboring oar bestir oneself (be active), take trouble, trouble oneself, work hard, rough it, put forth one's strength, put forth a strong arm, fall to work, bend the bow, buckle to, set one's shoulder to the wheel, work like a horse, work like a cart horse, work like a galley slave, work like a coal heaver, labor day and night, work day and night, redouble one's efforts, do double duty, work double hours, work double tides, sit up, burn the candle at both ends, stick to, work one's way, fight one's way, lay about one, hammer at, take pains, do one's best, do one's level best, do one's utmost, give one hundred percent, do the best one can, do all one can, do all in one's power, do as much as in one lies, do what lies in one's power, use one's best endeavor, use one's utmost endeavor, try one's best, try one's utmost, play one's best card, put one's best leg foremost, put one's right leg foremost, have one's whole soul in his work, put all one's strength into, strain every nerve, spare no efforts, spare no pains, go all lengths, go through fire and water, move heaven and earth, leave no stone unturned.

Request

VB request, ask, beg, crave, sue, pray, petition, solicit, invite, pop the question, make bold to ask, beg leave, beg a boon, apply to, call to, put to, call upon, call for, make a request, address a request, prefer a request, put up a request, make a prayer, address a prayer, prefer a prayer, put up a prayer, make a petition, address a petition, prefer a petition, put up a petition, make application, make a requisition, ask trouble, ask one for, claim, offer up prayers, whistle for, beg hard, entreat, beseech, plead, supplicate, implore, conjure, adjure, obtest, cry to, kneel to, appeal to, invoke, evoke, impetrate, imprecate, ply, press, urge, beset, importune, dun, tax, clamor for, cry aloud, cry for help, fall on one's knees, throw oneself at the feet of, come down on one's marrowbones, beg from door to door, send the hat round, go a begging, mendicate, mump, cadge, beg one's bread, dance attendance on, besiege, knock at the door, bespeak, canvass, tout, make interest, court, seek, bid for, publish the banns.

Fold

N fold, plicature, plait, pleat, ply, crease, tuck, gather, flexion, flexure, joint, elbow, double, doubling, duplicature, gather, wrinkle, rimple, crinkle, crankle, crumple, rumple, rivel, ruck, ruffle, dog's ear, corrugation, frounce, flounce, lapel, pucker, crow's feet, plication, folded, fluted, pleated.