plying

Verb (1)

ply (third-person singular simple present plies, present participle plying, simple past and past participle plied)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To bend; to fold; to mould; (figuratively) to adapt, to modify; to change (a person's) mind, to cause (a person) to submit.
   • And now when at length the Vineyard has ſhed its late Leaves, and the cold Northwind ſhook from the Groves their Honours; even then the active Swain extends his Cares to the enſuing Year, and cloſe plys the deſolate forſaken Vine, cutting off the ſuperfluous Roots with Saturn's crooked Hook, and...1743, Virgil, “The Georgics of Virgil. Book II.”, in [Joseph Davidson], transl., The Works of Virgil Translated into English Prose, […] In Two Volumes, volume I, London: Printed for Joseph Davidson...
2. (intransitive) To bend, to flex; to be bent by something, to give way or yield (to a force, etc.).
   • The Oak Upbraided the Willow, that it was Weak and Wavering, and gave way to Every Blaſt. […] Some very little while after This Diſpute, it Blew a Violent Storm. The Willow Ply’d, and gave way to the Guſt, and ſtill recover’d it ſelf again, without receiving any Damage: But the Oak was Stubborn...1692, Roger L’Estrange, “[The Fables of Anianus, &c.] Fab[le] CCXV. An Oak and a Willow.”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC, page 187

Verb (2)

ply (third-person singular simple present plies, present participle plying, simple past and past participle plied)

1. (transitive) To work at (something) diligently.
   • He plied his trade as carpenter for forty-three years.
2. (transitive) To wield or use (a tool, a weapon, etc.) steadily or vigorously.
   • He plied his ax with bloody results.
3. (transitive) To press upon; to urge persistently.
   • to ply someone with questions or solicitations
4. (transitive) To persist in offering something to, especially for the purpose of inducement or persuasion.
   • to ply someone with drink

See all 14 meanings of ply