Ply : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: Ply	by the DICT Development Group
5 results for Ply
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
ply n one of the strands twisted together to make yarn or rope or thread; often used in combination; "three-ply cord"; "four- ply yarn" (usually in combinations) one of several layers of cloth or paper or wood as in plywood v give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance; "The hostess provided lunch for all the guests" Synonym(s): provide, supply, ply, cater apply oneself diligently; "Ply one's trade" travel a route regularly; "Ships ply the waters near the coast" Synonym(s): ply, run join together as by twisting, weaving, or molding; "ply fabric" wield vigorously; "ply an axe" use diligently; "ply your wits!"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Ply \Ply\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Plied}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Plying}.] [OE. plien, F. plier to fold, to bend, fr. L. plicare; akin to Gr. [?], G. flechten. Cf. {Apply}, {Complex}, {Display}, {Duplicity}, {Employ}, {Exploit}, {Implicate}, {Plait}, {Pliant}, {Flax}.] 1. To bend. [Obs.] As men may warm wax with handes plie. --Chaucer. 2. To lay on closely, or in folds; to work upon steadily, or with repeated acts; to press upon; to urge importunately; as, to ply one with questions, with solicitations, or with drink. And plies him with redoubled strokes --Dryden. He plies the duke at morning and at night. --Shak. 3. To employ diligently; to use steadily. Go ply thy needle; meddle not. --Shak. 4. To practice or perform with diligence; to work at. Their bloody task, unwearied, still they ply. --Waller.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Ply \Ply\, n. [Cf. F. pli, fr. plier. See {Ply}, v.] 1. A fold; a plait; a turn or twist, as of a cord. --Arbuthnot. 2. Bent; turn; direction; bias. The late learners can not so well take the ply. --Bacon. Boswell, and others of Goldsmith's contemporaries, . . . did not understand the secret plies of his character. --W. Irving. The czar's mind had taken a strange ply, which it retained to the last. --Macaulay. Note: Ply is used in composition to designate folds, or the number of webs interwoven; as, a three-ply carpet.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Ply \Ply\, v. i. 1. To bend; to yield. [Obs.] It would rather burst atwo than plye. --Chaucer. The willow plied, and gave way to the gust. --L'Estrange. 2. To act, go, or work diligently and steadily; especially, to do something by repeated actions; to go back and forth; as, a steamer plies between certain ports. Ere half these authors be read (which will soon be with plying hard and daily). --Milton. He was forced to ply in the streets as a porter. --Addison. The heavy hammers and mallets plied. --Longfellow. 3. (Naut.) To work to windward; to beat.
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (15Feb98) [foldoc]:
ply 1. Of a {node} in a {tree}, the number of {branches} between that node and the {root}. 2. Of a tree, the maximum ply of any of its nodes. (1998-12-29)