Apply

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ap=ply

CIDE DICTIONARY

Apply, v. t. [OF. aplier, F. appliquer, fr. L. applicare to join, fix, or attach to; ad + plicare to fold, to twist together. See Applicant, Ply.].

•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "He said, and the sword his throat applied."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "Yet God at last
  To Satan, first in sin, his doom applied."  [1913 Webster]
•  To fix closely; to engage and employ diligently, or with attention; to attach; to incline.  [1913 Webster]

  "Apply thine heart unto instruction."  [1913 Webster]
•  To direct or address.  [1913 Webster]

  "Sacred vows . . . applied to grisly Pluto."  [1913 Webster]
•  To betake; to address; to refer; -- used reflexively.  [1913 Webster]

  "I applied myself to him for help."  [1913 Webster]
•  To busy; to keep at work; to ply.  [1913 Webster]

  "She was skillful in applying his “humors.”"  [1913 Webster]
•  To visit.  [1913 Webster]

  "And he applied each place so fast."  [1913 Webster]

Applied chemistry. See under Chemistry. -- Applied mathematics. See under Mathematics.

Apply, v. i. 

•  To suit; to agree; to have some connection, agreement, or analogy; as, this argument applies well to the case.  [1913 Webster]
•  To make request; to have recourse with a view to gain something; to make application. (to); to solicit; as, to apply to a friend for information.  [1913 Webster]
•  To ply; to move.  [1913 Webster]

  "I heard the sound of an oar applying swiftly through the water."  [1913 Webster]
•  To apply or address one's self; to give application; to attend closely (to).  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Apply, v. (-ies, -ied)
1 intr. (often foll. by for, to, or to + infin.) make a formal request for something to be done, given, etc. (apply for a job; apply for help to the governors; applied to be sent overseas).
2 intr. have relevance (does not apply in this case).
3 tr. a make use of as relevant or suitable; employ (apply the rules). b operate (apply the handbrake).
4 tr. (often foll. by to) a put or spread on (applied the ointment to the cut). b administer (applied the remedy; applied common sense to the problem).
5 refl. (often foll. by to) devote oneself (applied myself to the task).

Derivative

applier n.

Etymology

ME f. OF aplier f. L applicare fold, fasten to

THESAURUS

Apply

accouter, accredit, address, administer, affix, allot, ally, appeal, appertain, apply for, apply to, appoint, appropriate, ascribe, ask, ask for, assign, associate, attach, attend, attribute, audition, authorize, bear, beg, beg leave, bend, beseech, bespeak, bestow, bid, bind, blanket, block, bracket, buckle down, call for, call on, call upon, canopy, carry out, cement, circulate a petition, cloak, clothe, cloud, commission, commit, concentrate, connect, cope, correlate, couple, cover, cover up, cowl, crave, credit, curtain, dedicate, demand, desire, devote, direct, do, dose, dose with, draw a parallel, dress up, drudge, eclipse, embellish, embrocate, employ, enforce, enforce upon, enrich, entreat, equate, equip, exercise, exploit, fasten, file for, film, finger, fit out, fix, focus, force, force upon, furbish, garnish, gear, give, glue, go, go after, grind, handle, hood, identify, implore, importune, impute, indent, interrelate, interview, lay on, lay over, link, make, make a request, make a requisition, make application, mantle, mask, memorialize, mete out to, muffle, name, nominate, obduce, obscure, occult, order, outfit, overlay, overspread, parallel, parallelize, pay attention, pertain, petition, place, pray, prefer a petition, prescribe for, press, put, put in, put in for, put in force, put in practice, put into execution, put on, put to use, put upon, recur, refer, register, relate, relativize, repair, request, requisition, rig, rub in, rub on, run, screen, scum, seek, set about, set off, shield, sign a petition, solicit, spread over, spruce up, stick, sue, suit, superimpose, superpose, supplicate, take on, tap, tend, throw, tie, toil, try out, turn, turn out, undertake, urge, use, utilize, veil, wed, whistle for, wish

ROGET THESAURUS

Apply

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.

Borrowing

VB borrow, desume, hire, rent, farm, take a lease, take a demise, take by the hour, take by the mile, take by the year, hire by the hour, hire by the mile, hire by the year, adopt, apply, appropriate, imitate, make use of, take, raise money, take up money, raise the wind, fly a kite, borrow from Peter to pay Paul, run into debt, replevy.

Metaphor

VB employ a metaphor, personify, allegorize, adumbrate, shadow forth, apply, allude to.