plough
B1General (Slightly more formal/in literary use for verb; noun is standard agricultural term)
Definition
Meaning
A farming implement used to cut, lift, and turn over soil, typically drawn by animals or a tractor.
To move forward forcefully or with difficulty, clearing a path. Also used figuratively to mean making steady progress through difficult work, like studying.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily agricultural. The verb sense often implies effort, resistance, or steady, unglamorous progress. Can be used for vehicles (e.g., a ship ploughing through waves, a snowplough clearing a road).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK 'plough', US 'plow'. The UK spelling is dominant in all contexts.
Connotations
Both share core agricultural and figurative meanings. The UK variant may feel slightly more traditional.
Frequency
The noun is less common in everyday non-agricultural conversation. The verb, especially in figurative use ('plough through a book'), is reasonably common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[VN] plough a field/the land[V+adv/prep] plough through snow/a report[VN+adv/prep] plough money into a businessVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “plough a lonely furrow”
- “put one's hand to the plough”
- “plough the sands”
- “look back from the plough”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The company decided to plough its profits back into research and development."
Academic
"The historian had to plough through hundreds of archival documents."
Everyday
"We watched the tractor plough the field behind our house."
Technical
"The implement's mouldboard is designed to efficiently invert the sod."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The farmer will plough the south field tomorrow.
- The ship ploughed on through the gale.
- I must plough through this tax paperwork tonight.
American English
- He plowed the entire back forty before lunch.
- The truck plowed right through the fence.
- She plowed her savings into the startup.
adjective
British English
- Plough horses were a common sight.
- They attended the annual plough match.
American English
- Plow horses are still used on some Amish farms.
- The plow blade needed sharpening.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The tractor has a big plough.
- Farmers use a plough in spring.
- The new snowplough cleared the road quickly.
- He ploughed the field to prepare for sowing.
- Despite the criticism, she ploughed ahead with her plan.
- The company ploughed its annual profits back into employee training.
- The biography ploughs a familiar furrow but offers new archival insights.
- The legislation ploughed through parliamentary opposition, emerging substantially unchanged.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a PLOW making a 'W' shape in the soil. The word 'plough' contains the 'ough' which sounds like 'ow' as in pain, hinting at the hard work involved.
Conceptual Metaphor
DIFFICULT PROGRESS IS PLOWING (e.g., ploughing through work), INVESTMENT IS PLOWING BACK (e.g., ploughing profits into a venture).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'плуг' (the noun) only. Remember the verb forms and extended meanings ('to plough through' ≠ просто 'идти', it implies effort). 'Plough back' is a specific phrasal verb with no direct single-word equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing spelling (plow/plough) by region.
- Using 'plough' for simple walking ('he ploughed down the street' is odd). It needs an implied medium of resistance.
- Incorrect object: 'plough a book' is wrong; it's 'plough *through* a book'.
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The fund aims to plough capital into renewable projects,' what does 'plough' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct. 'Plough' is the standard spelling in British English and Commonwealth countries. 'Plow' is the standard spelling in American English.
Yes, commonly. It's often used figuratively: 'plough through a book' (read with effort), 'plough money into a business' (invest heavily), 'snowplough' (vehicle that clears snow).
Ploughing is a specific, deep method of tillage that turns the soil over. 'Tilling' is a broader term for preparing soil, which can include shallower methods like harrowing.
The noun is common in agricultural contexts but less so in general urban conversation. The verb, especially in phrasal forms like 'plough through' or 'plough back', is more common in general writing and speech.