Definition

1. Noun:

   • A farming implement: A plough is a tool used in agriculture. It has one or more heavy blades designed to cut into, break up, and turn over soil, especially to prepare it for planting seeds.
   • A constellation: (Capitalized as 'the Plough') A group of seven bright stars in the constellation Ursa Major, also known as the Big Dipper in North America.

2. Verb:

   • To turn over soil: To break and turn over earth using a plough.
   • To move forward forcefully and steadily: To advance in a manner that resembles a plough cutting through soil, often with effort or by pushing aside obstacles.
   • To proceed laboriously: To advance or work through something with steady, difficult effort.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:

  • The farmer attached the plough to the tractor. (The farming tool was connected to the vehicle.)
  • We looked up at the night sky and found the Plough. (We identified the group of stars.)

• Verb:

  • They need to plough the field before sowing the wheat. (They need to turn the soil before planting.)
  • The ship began to plough through the heavy waves. (The ship moved forward, pushing through the large waves.)
  • He had to plough through hundreds of pages of legal documents. (He had to work his way through the documents with great effort.)

Advanced Usage and Idioms

• To plough a lonely/lone furrow: To work alone on a project or pursue a course of action without support from others.
  • While others pursued popular research, she ploughed a lonely furrow in her niche field.
• To plough something back (into something): To reinvest money, especially profits, into the business from which it came to aid its development.
  • The company ploughed its profits back into research and development.
• To put one's hand to the plough: To begin or commit to a significant and demanding task. (Often used in the negative: "to look back after putting one's hand to the plough" means to give up after starting.)
  • It's a tough project, but now that we've put our hand to the plough, we must finish it.

Variants and Related Words

• Plow: The standard spelling and more common form in American English. Both 'plough' (common in British English) and 'plow' are correct for the verb and noun related to farming.
• Ploughing/Plowing (n): The action or process of using a plough.
  • Spring ploughing is essential for a good harvest.
• Ploughman/Plowman (n): A person who operates a plough.
  • The ploughman guided the horses across the field.

Synonyms

• Till (verb): To prepare and cultivate land for crops.
• Furrow (verb): To make a long, narrow trench in the ground, especially with a plough.
• Trench (verb): To dig a long, deep ditch.

Phrasal Verbs

• Plough ahead (with something): To continue determinedly with a course of action despite difficulties or opposition.
  • Despite the criticism, the government decided to plough ahead with the new policy.
• Plough into something/someone: To crash into something with force, often because you are moving too fast or not paying attention.
  • The truck skidded and ploughed into the fence.
• Plough through something: To make slow, difficult progress through something, such as work, a book, or a substance.
  • We ploughed through the deep snow to reach the cabin.

Related Idioms

• To plough the sand(s): To engage in futile labor; to waste one's effort on a pointless task.
  • Trying to convince him is like ploughing the sand; he never listens.

Noun

1. a farm tool having one or more heavy blades to break the soil and cut a furrow prior to sowing
2. a group of seven bright stars in the constellation Ursa Major

Verb

1. to break and turn over earth especially with a plow
   • Farmer Jones plowed his east field last week
   • turn the earth in the Spring
2. move in a way resembling that of a plow cutting into or going through the soil
   • The ship plowed through the water