plough1 nounplough2 verb
ploughplough1 (also plow American English) /plaʊ/ noun [countable] 
1a piece of farm equipment used to turn over the earth so that seeds can be planted2under the plough British English formal land that is under the plough is used for growing crops → snow plough(1)plough1 nounplough2 verb
ploughplough2 (also plow American English) verb VERB TABLE
plough (BrE)
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | plough (BrE) |
| he, she, it | ploughs (BrE) | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | ploughed (BrE) |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have ploughed (BrE) |
| he, she, it | has ploughed (BrE) | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had ploughed (BrE) |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will plough |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have ploughed (BrE) |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am ploughing (BrE) |
| he, she, it | is ploughing (BrE) | |
| you, we, they | are ploughing (BrE) | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was ploughing (BrE) |
| you, we, they | were ploughing (BrE) | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been ploughing (BrE) |
| he, she, it | has been ploughing (BrE) | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been ploughing (BrE) |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be ploughing (BrE) |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been ploughing (BrE) |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- The fields are ploughed as soon as the winter crop is removed.
- And if you have to plough the field anyway, you might as well plant it at the same time.
- Farming practice in recent years has moved to autumn ploughing and early sowing of oil-seed rape and winter wheat.
- It appears their chair had ploughed into the back of another.
- It was like a huge farm implement ploughing up one pale flower, not quite crushing it.
- Koju was an illiterate villager who had spent his life in the desert ploughing dust with oxen.
- Now, their lustre faded, they must plough through the qualifying slog to get there.
- The land is ploughed and then the seed is sown, the crop sprayed, the harvest taken, and so on.
THESAURUS
to make a hole in the ground using your hands, a tool, or a machine: · Some workmen were digging a trench at the side of the road.· In Africa, the people know where to dig for water.
to dig a hole in the ground, using your hands or a tool: · Make a hole just big enough for the plant’s roots.
if an animal burrows, it makes a hole or a passage in the ground by digging the earth with its feet, nose etc: · The rabbits had burrowed a hole under the fence.
British English, plow American English to turn over the soil using a machine or a tool pulled by animals, to prepare the soil for planting seeds: · The farmers here still plough their fields using buffaloes.
formal to dig a large hole in the ground, especially as a preparation for building something: · The men began excavating the hole for the pool.
to make a deep round hole in the ground using a special machine, especially in order to look for oil or water: · Companies need a special licence to bore for oil.
Longman Language Activatorto dig earth out of the ground to make a hole in the ground, using your hands, a tool, or a machine: · I found two dogs digging in the garden, looking for bones.· He was paid twelve dollars an hour to dig ditches and mix cement.dig for something (=in order to find something): · There were two fishermen on the beach digging for worms.dig a hole/ditch/grave etc: · The workmen began digging a hole in the middle of the road.· Some of the prisoners escaped through a tunnel they had dug under the wall.
formal: excavate a hole/chamber/trench etc to dig a deep or large hole, especially as a preparation for building something: · The turtle excavates a hole in the sand and then lays its eggs in it.· Workers had already begun excavating the foundations for the house.
to dig a long passage under the ground, especially one that people or vehicles can go through: tunnel under/beneath/through etc: · Special drilling equipment is being used to tunnel beneath the sea bed.· worms tunnelling through the mudtunnel your way out/through/under etc: · After days of digging, the prisoners finally tunnelled their way out of the camp and escaped.
if an animal burrows , it makes a passage under the ground by digging through the earth as it moves forward: burrow into/under/through: · Toads burrow into the earth to hide from their enemies.burrow a hole: · The rabbits had burrowed a hole under the fence.
British /plow American to turn over the earth in a field using a special tool or machine in order to prepare it for growing crops: · The fields are ploughed as soon as the winter crop is removed.· Farmers were plowing their land and planting cotton seeds.
a car/train/plane etc hits something · The bus hit a tree and the driver was badly injured.· He pulled out of the driveway without looking, and almost hit another car.· Five sailors were killed when their ship hit a mine.hit something head-on (=directly) · The driver of a Ford van lost control and hit another car head-on.
to hit something that is directly in front of you with your vehicle, especially because you are not paying attention: · I turned too sharply and ran into the curb.· We almost ran into a Rolls-Royce that pulled out in front of us without signalling.
to hit and injure a person or animal while driving a vehicle: run over somebody/run somebody over: · How can you run over a child and not stop?be run over by something: · The boy's dog had been run over by a car.get run over: · Make sure the lights on your bike are working. I don't want you getting run over.
to hit something or someone very hard while you are driving a vehicle, making a lot of noise and causing damage: · The driver lost control on a curve and crashed into a tree.· An airplane had crashed into a mountain, killing all two hundred passengers.go crashing into something: · The car skidded, then went crashing into the bus shelter.· An army helicopter smashed into the side of the mountain.
to hit something or someone very hard while you are moving in a vehicle, especially when what you hit is not moving: · The driver had been drinking when he rammed into a car waiting at a red light.· Some idiot slammed into me from behind.
British /plow into American to hit a large number of vehicles or people with a vehicle, especially as a result of driving too fast, not paying attention etc: · The car went out of control and ploughed into a group of people on the sidewalk.· When the driver fell asleep, the bus ploughed into a line of traffic.
if two vehicles collide , they hit each other when they are moving in opposite directions: · Four or five cars had collided in the fog.collide with: · The transport helicopter he was in collided with another and crashed.
to deliberately hit another vehicle very hard, especially when it is not moving: · The ship had been rammed by a submarine.
British informal to hit something or someone with a vehicle: · Someone went into the back of my bike at the traffic lights.
to read something long or boring British /plow through American to read all of something even though it takes a long time and is boring: · I ploughed through all the documents related to the case.· After plowing through so many huge textbooks it was a relief to pick up a novel again.
to read something that is very long and boring, or to read a lot of different pieces of writing such as letters, reports etc which together are long and boring to read: · We waded through a huge pile of applications, and finally selected six people to interview.· It's much easier to find the information on the Internet, rather than wading through piles of documents.
WORD SETSagrarian, adjectiveagribusiness, nounagro-, prefixagro-industry, nounanimal husbandry, nounanimal rights, nounartificial insemination, nounbale, nounbale, verbbarn, nounbarnyard, nounbattery, nounbiotechnology, nounbreadbasket, nounbreed, verbbreeding, nounbroiler, nounbroiler chicken, nounBSE, nounbuckaroo, nounbull, nounbutcher, verbbyre, nouncapon, nouncattleman, nouncattle market, nouncattle prod, nounchaff, nounchicken, nounchicken run, nouncollective farm, nouncoop, nounco-op, nouncorral, nouncorral, verbcowboy, nouncowgirl, nouncowhand, nouncowpoke, nouncreamery, nouncroft, nouncrofter, nouncrofting, nouncultivate, verbcultivation, noundairy, noundairy cattle, noundairy farm, noundairymaid, noundairyman, nounDDT, noundip, verbdip, noundirt farmer, noundrover, noundry-stone wall, noundude ranch, nounDutch barn, nounextensive agriculture, factory farming, nounfallow, adjectivefarm, nounfarm, verbfarmer, nounfarmhand, nounfarmhouse, nounfarming, nounfarmland, nounfarmstead, nounfarmyard, nounfeedstock, nounfield, nounfishery, nounfish farm, nounfish meal, nounflail, verbflail, nounfleece, nounfodder, nounfold, nounfoot and mouth disease, nounforage, nounfowl, nounfree-range, adjectivefungicide, noungamekeeper, noungeld, verbgenetically modified, adjectivegentleman farmer, nounGM, adjectivegoatherd, noungraft, noungraft, verbgranary, noungreenhouse, noungreen revolution, nounGreen Revolution, nounhacienda, nounharrow, nounhatchery, nounhayloft, nounhaymaking, nounhaystack, nounheifer, nounhen house, nounherbicide, nounherd, nounherd, verbherdsman, nounhigh-yield, adjectivehired hand, nounhomestead, nounhomestead, verbhopper, nounhorticulture, nounhusbandry, nounhutch, nouninsecticide, nounintensive agriculture, irrigate, verbJersey, nounkibbutz, nounlamb, verbland agent, nounlasso, nounlasso, verblift, verblitter, nounlivestock, nounlonghorn, nounmad cow disease, nounmanure, nounmeat, nounmerino, nounmilk, nounmilk churn, nounmilking machine, nounmilking parlour, nounmilkmaid, nounmixed farming, nounmower, nounmuck, nounmuckheap, nounnursery, nounoast house, nounorangery, nounorchard, nounorganic, adjectiveorganic farming, paddock, nounpaddy, nounpasturage, nounpasture, nounpasture, verbpastureland, nounpen, nounperpendicular, adjectivepest, nounpesticide, nounpiggery, nounpigpen, nounpigsty, nounpigswill, nounpitchfork, nounplantation, nounplanter, nounplough, nounplough, verbploughboy, nounploughman, nounploughshare, nounpoultry, nounproducer, nounpullet, nounPYO, raise, verbranch, nounrancher, nounranching, nounrange, nounranger, nounrear, verbrick, nounrubber, nounrun, nounrustle, verbscarecrow, nounscythe, nounsharecropper, nounshare-cropper, nounshear, verbshearer, nounsheep-dip, nounsheepdog, nounsheep-pen, nounshepherd, nounshepherdess, nounsickle, nounsilage, nounsilo, nounslaughter, verbslaughterhouse, nounsmallholding, nounsow, verbsow, nounsprayer, nounstable, nounstable, verbstable boy, nounstall, nounstation, nounsteer, nounstock, nounstockbreeder, nounstockman, nounstockyard, nounstubble, nounsty, nounswill, nounswine, nounswineherd, nountenant farmer, nounterrace, nounthresh, verbthreshing machine, nountractor, nountrough, nountruck farm, nountrue, adverbudder, nounvillein, nounvineyard, nounweedkiller, nounweevil, nounwheat, nounwheatgerm, nounwheatmeal, nounwinnow, verbwool, nounwrangler, nounyoke, nounyoke, verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
a ploughed field Companies can plough back their profits into new equipment. He looked displeased but she ploughed on regardless.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1[intransitive, transitive] to turn over the earth using a plough so that seeds can be planted: a ploughed field Companies can plough back their profits into new equipment. He looked displeased but she ploughed on regardless.· It was difficult walking across the ploughed field.
(=make long deep lines in the ground so that you can grow crops)· The farmer was using a tractor to plough the field.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The profits made by the sale of goods are ploughed back into wild bird conservation.· Money ploughed back, no change for pleasures, the food on the table always plain.· Savings made through greater efficiency will be ploughed back into the Service.· In 1989 £60 million worth of parish or diocesan contributions was ploughed back into stipends.· Even the sooty thatch from the houses was ploughed back into the land.· The profits of the news business were never substantial and much was ploughed back into expansion.· He says the fibrous nature of Linseed makes it impossible to plough back into the soil.· Receipts from the sale of the licences would be ploughed back into the provision of improved public transport.
· He ploughed on, trying to outline his plans for the paper, and engage Sutton's attention.· At any rate, we ploughed on and in due course reached the designated spot.· Liz smiled to herself, triumphant, and ploughed on towards Kate.· But evolution ploughed on remorselessly, enabling only the most adaptable to go on to the next stage.· While here at home the Liederene ploughs on, Though many punters think the magic's gone.· Mr Sugar is ploughing on with the rationalisation announced last year.· The trawler ploughed on, leaving the fishermen clinging to pieces of wreckage.· At Fobney the light has gone so we stop and fit the torch and then plough on once more.
· Often they are ploughed up from agricultural land, lone victims, their bodies incomplete.· It was like a huge farm implement ploughing up one pale flower, not quite crushing it.· Rules allowing farmers to cut set-aside fields to control weeds have resulted in many nests being ploughed up or crushed by machinery.· There had been a path there once but it had been ploughed up and incorporated into the field long ago.· They were ploughing up one of the fields near the river.· Suddenly, Ted was aware that he was ploughing up something other than earth.· Then we tried to cut across the fields at the bottom and that was a mistake, they were all ploughed up.· No one tried to plough up the minefield.
NOUN· It would have been easier to drive across a ploughed field.· There was no more open country now; we camped always on dark, ploughed fields.· These are the monuments to generations of individual farmers ploughing and draining their fields.· The ploughed fields were purple and Ambadji, larger now but still riding the horizon, was blue on pale pink.· In Suffolk it was customary until recent years to plough a field in stetches or lands of varying widths.· He went back as directed, and found the man he had in mind, who was ploughing his family fields.· Dumont does not scruple to show the naked corpse, left on the edge of a ploughed field.· How can we have grain without oxen to plough the fields?
· He did not merely walk barefoot in the pine needles, but dug his toes in so that they ploughed a shallow furrow.· Another company which has long been ploughing the higher resolution furrow is Printware.· The one who ploughed the straightest furrow as declared the winner.· We called ploughing the last furrow in a stetch taking up the brew.
· Waste from animals was a valuable fertiliser - all you had to do was to plough it into the land.· The sun had baked the ploughed land into a grey mass, with little cracks running through it.· Often they are ploughed up from agricultural land, lone victims, their bodies incomplete.· After careful consideration Ted decided to deep plough the land and prepare it for cultivation.· Even the sooty thatch from the houses was ploughed back into the land.· He has ploughed the land many times and could have set something off at any time.
· During that period, dearer rents were not entirely ploughed into higher profits for the development companies and institutional landlords.
In those days the land was plowed by oxen. a ploughed field► see thesaurus at dig2[intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move with a lot of effort or forceplough through/up/across etc We ploughed through the thick mud.3plough a lonely/lone furrow British English literary to do a job or activity that is different from those done by other people, or to do it aloneplough ahead phrasal verb to continue to do something in spite of opposition or difficultiesplough ahead with The government will plough ahead with tests this year, despite a boycott from teachers.plough something ↔ back phrasal verb to use money that you have earned from a business to make the business bigger and more successfulplough back into Companies can plough back their profits into new equipment.plough into somebody/something phrasal verb to crash into something or someone, especially while driving, because you are unable to stop quickly enough: I plowed into the car in front.plough on phrasal verb to continue doing something that is difficult or boringplough on with Julia ploughed on with the endless exam papers. He looked displeased but she ploughed on regardless.plough through something phrasal verb to read all of something, even though it is boring and takes a long time: Most staff will never want to plough through the manuals that come with the software.plough something ↔ up phrasal verb to break up the surface of the ground by travelling over it many times: Horses plough up the paths and make them muddy for walkers.