put one's hand to the plough
To begin an undertaking.
plough
/plaʊ/
noun 5verb 5name 2
Collocations
5(noun.)
ADJ
heavy
VERB + PLOUGH
draw, pull
The farmer used oxen to draw the plough across the muddy field.
guide
PLOUGH + NOUN
boy, team | furrow
Definitions
noun
1
A device pulled through the ground in order to break it open into furrows for planting.
Meronyms: ploughshare, plowshare, share, moldboard, mouldboard, coulter, colter, jointer, chisel, ploughbeam, beam, ploughstaff, staff, hake
The horse-drawn plough had a tremendous impact on agriculture.
2
Any of several other tools or implements that cut and push material.
It's been three hours since a plough came through here, and now you can hardly even tell that it did! [the snow keeps falling heavily]
3
Any of several other tools or implements that cut and push material.
4
Any of several other tools or implements that cut and push material.
5
The use of a plough; tillage.
If you get it early ploughed and it lies all winter possibly, you find it an advantage to give it a second plough; but it does not invariably follow that we plough twice for our green crop.
verb
1
To use a plough on soil to prepare for planting.
I've still got to plough that field.
That there is and from time immemorial has been within that part of the parish called Mablethorpe St. Mary's a laudable custom that, if any outdweller take ancient pasture ground, he shall pay a modus of 4d. an acre, and so in proportion, on the 1st of August, in lieu of all manner of tithe; and that if any of the ancient pasture be once ploughed up or meadowed, it shall, when restored to pasture again, pay 4d. the acre in the hands of such outdweller.
2
To use a plough.
Some days I have to plough from sunrise to sunset.
3
To move with force.
Trucks ploughed through the water to ferry flood victims to safety.
Wolves continued to plough forward as young Belgian midfielder Mujangi Bia and Ronald Zubar both hit shots wide from good positions.
4
To knock over or run over (someone) without stopping.
My brother ploughed me over.
Three people were ploughed down when he lost control of the truck.
5
To furrow; to make furrows, grooves, or ridges in.
Let patient Octavia plough thy visage up / With her prepared nails.
name
1
The brightest seven stars of the constellation Ursa Major. They are Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Dubhe, Merak, and Phecda.
Later on, as I walked home / The Plough was showing, and Orion
Thesaurus
Synonyms
noun — a farm tool having one or more heavy blades to break the soi
- plow
verb — to break and turn over earth especially with a plow
- plow
- turn
verb — move in a way resembling that of a plow cutting into or goin
- plow
Antonyms
Idioms & Phrases
plough one's way
To make one's way.
It was not until centuries later, when the ships of the white invader ploughed their way islandward, that flies and mosquitoes, centipedes and scorpions, and a host of insect pests
plough a lonely furrow
To carry out an action in isolation, or in an original way, without any help or support from others.
plough money
To invest money in a project or endeavor, especially to help it succeed or earn more money.
plough the back forty
To engage in sexual intercourse.
Example Bank
601
Meronyms: ploughshare, plowshare, share, moldboard, mouldboard, coulter, colter, jointer, chisel, ploughbeam, beam, ploughstaff, staff, hake
Wiktionary02
The horse-drawn plough had a tremendous impact on agriculture.
Wiktionary03
The central theme of low-till agriculture is that the plough is not always necessary and that it should be used only when truly appropriate.
Wiktionary04
I've still got to plough that field.
Wiktionary05
That there is and from time immemorial has been within that part of the parish called Mablethorpe St. Mary's a laudable custom that, if any outdweller take ancient pasture ground, he shall pay a modus
Wiktionary06
Some days I have to plough from sunrise to sunset.
WiktionaryUsage Notes
i Register
In some senses, plough is marked as colloquial, British. Watch for register when choosing this word.
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