Definition

Noun: A plowshare is the sharp, wedge-shaped, typically steel blade of a plow. It is the cutting component that slices through the soil, loosening the top layer to prepare the ground for planting.

Usage

The word "plowshare" is a technical term used primarily in agriculture and historical contexts. It refers specifically to the cutting part of a plow. * The farmer sharpened the plowshare before the spring planting season. * In the museum, we saw an ancient plowshare made of iron.

Advanced Usage

• Metaphorical Use: The plowshare is sometimes used symbolically to represent agriculture, peaceful labor, or cultivation, often in contrast to weaponry (e.g., "beating swords into plowshares").
  • The community's efforts were about turning conflict into cooperation, a modern effort to beat swords into plowshares.

Variants and Related Words

• Share: A common short form for "plowshare," especially in historical or poetic contexts.
  • The blacksmith forged a new share for the old plow.

Synonyms

• Coulter (Note: A coulter is a related but distinct part; it is a vertical disc or blade that cuts the soil of the plowshare.)
• Ploughshare: The British English spelling.

Idioms and Phrases

• To beat swords into plowshares: A proverb meaning to redirect resources from war and conflict toward peaceful, productive purposes. It originates from biblical scripture (Isaiah 2:4).
  • The charity's mission is to beat swords into plowshares, converting military expertise into humanitarian aid.

Noun

1. a sharp steel wedge that cuts loose the top layer of soil