Definition: plow

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

plow
     n : a farm tool having one or more heavy blades to break the
         soil and cut a furrow prior to sowing [syn: plough]
     v 1: to break and turn over earth esp. with a plow; "Farmer Jones
          plowed his east field last week"; "turn the earth in the
          Spring" [syn: plough, turn]
     2: deal with verbally or in some form of artistic expression;
        "This book deals with incest"; "The course covered all of
        Western Civilization"; "The new book treats the history of
        China" [syn: cover, treat, handle, deal, address]
     3:  move in a way resembling that of a plow cutting into or
        going through the soil; "The ship plowed through the
        water" [syn: plough]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Plow \Plow\, Plough \Plough\ (plou), n. [OE. plouh, plou, AS.
   pl[=o]h; akin to D. ploeg, G. pflug, OHG. pfluog, pfluoh,
   Icel. pl[=o]gr, Sw. plog, Dan. ploug, plov, Russ. plug',
   Lith. plugas.]
   1. A well-known implement, drawn by horses, mules, oxen, or
      other power, for turning up the soil to prepare it for
      bearing crops; also used to furrow or break up the soil
      for other purposes; as, the subsoil plow; the draining
      plow.

            Where fern succeeds ungrateful to the plow.
                                                  --Dryden.

   2. Fig.: Agriculture; husbandry. --Johnson.

   3. A carucate of land; a plowland. [Obs.] [Eng.]

            Johan, mine eldest son, shall have plowes five.
                                                  --Tale of
                                                  Gamelyn.

   4. A joiner's plane for making grooves; a grooving plane.

   5. (Bookbinding) An implement for trimming or shaving off the
      edges of books.

   6. (Astron.) Same as Charles's Wain.

   Ice plow, a plow used for cutting ice on rivers, ponds,
      etc., into cakes suitable for storing. [U. S.]

   Mackerel plow. See under Mackerel.

   Plow alms, a penny formerly paid by every plowland to the
      church. --Cowell.

   Plow beam, that part of the frame of a plow to which the
      draught is applied. See Beam, n., 9.

   Plow Monday, the Monday after Twelth Day, or the end of
      Christmas holidays.

   Plow staff.
      (a) A kind of long-handled spade or paddle for cleaning
          the plowshare; a paddle staff.
      (b) A plow handle.

   Snow plow, a structure, usually [Lambda]-shaped, for
      removing snow from sidewalks, railroads, etc., -- drawn or
      driven by a horse or a locomotive.

Plow \Plow\, Plough \Plough\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plowed
   (ploud) or Ploughed; p. pr. & vb. n. Plowing or
   Ploughing.]
   1. To turn up, break up, or trench, with a plow; to till
      with, or as with, a plow; as, to plow the ground; to plow
      a field.

   2. To furrow; to make furrows, grooves, or ridges in; to run
      through, as in sailing.

            Let patient Octavia plow thy visage up With her
            prepared nails.                       --Shak.

            With speed we plow the watery way.    --Pope.

   3. (Bookbinding) To trim, or shave off the edges of, as a
      book or paper, with a plow. See Plow, n., 5.

   4. (Joinery) To cut a groove in, as in a plank, or the edge
      of a board; especially, a rectangular groove to receive
      the end of a shelf or tread, the edge of a panel, a
      tongue, etc.

   To plow in, to cover by plowing; as, to plow in wheat.

Plow \Plow\, Plough \Plough\ (plou), v. i.
   To labor with, or as with, a plow; to till or turn up the
   soil with a plow; to prepare the soil or bed for anything.
   --Shak.

         Doth the plowman plow all day to sow ?   --Isa. xxviii.
                                                  24.

PLOW, n.  An implement that cries aloud for hands accustomed to the
pen.