plow

noun \ ˈplau̇ \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Examples: plow in a Sentence

Definition of plow

1 : an implement used to cut, lift, and turn over soil especially in preparing a seedbed

2 : any of various devices (such as a snowplow) operating like a plow

See plow defined for English-language learners

See plow defined for kids

Recent Examples of plow from the Web

While operating a plow truck in Haverhill, Belfiore heard on his fire radio that a man had gone into cardiac arrest a block away.

— linda greenstein, BostonGlobe.com, "Groveland firefighter honored for saving a life," 30 May 2018
The men were using a dump truck fitted with a snow plow to remove mud from Catawba River Road when additional debris began to tumble onto the road, said Uchiyama.

— mark price, charlotteobserver, "A dark road, a rush of mud and suddenly 2 NC men found their truck shoved into river," 30 May 2018
Officers subsequently located the plow truck at McDonald's in Richmond Heights, where the driver, a 42-year-old Mayfield Heights man, was arrested for OVI.

— andy attina / cleveland.com, cleveland.com, "Resident follows drunk snow-plow driver after his mailbox is struck: Highland Heights Police Blotter," 14 Mar. 2018
According to police reports, a witness saw the vehicle drive straight into the plow truck.

— jim riccioli, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Waukesha Police Report: Catalytic converters stolen off cars in Waukesha," 24 Jan. 2018
As Justin Riendean, of Columbia, steadied a plow, his sons, 9-year-old Isaac and 6-year-old Henri, walked alongside him, taking turns helping.

— janice steinhagen, Courant Community, "Draft Animals Break The Sod At Blue Slope Country Museum," 2 May 2018
This includes dump bodies, snow plows, salt spreaders, and warning lights, among other equipment.

— jennifer johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Park Ridge City Council recap: Liquor license tentatively approved for South Park salon," 26 Mar. 2018
After some help from plows, thw Wildcats were on their way to the airport.

— andrew mahoney, BostonGlobe.com, "Your guide to the NCAA East Regional at TD Garden," 22 Mar. 2018
The plow, in short, has been cleaned, polished and turned on its side as a salver to serve adorable canapes in a posh lounge that once was a barn.

— mike dunne, sacbee, "Napa expert grim about the state and direction of the valley: ‘I don’t see any hope’ | The Sacramento Bee," 28 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plow.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of plow

Middle English, from Old English plōh hide of land; akin to Old High German pfluog plow

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Agriculture/Gardening Terms

fallow, graft, heirloom, loam, potash, soilage, swath, tilth, windfall

plow

verb

Definition of plow

plowed; plowing; plows

transitive verb

1 a : to turn, break up, or work with a plow

b : to make (something, such as a furrow) with a plow

2 : to cut into, open, or make furrows or ridges in with or as if with a plow

3 : to cleave the surface of or move through (water)

whales plowing the ocean

4 : to clear away snow from with a snowplow

plow the street

5 : to spend or invest (money) in substantial amounts —used with into

plow money into stocks

intransitive verb

1 a : to use a plow

b : to undergo plowing

2 a : to move forcefully into or through something

the car plowed into a fence

b : to proceed steadily and laboriously

had to plow through a stack of letters

—

plowable

play \ˈplau̇-ə-bəl\ adjective

—

plower

play \ˈplau̇(-ə)r\ noun

See plow defined for English-language learners

Examples of plow in a Sentence

The soil was freshly plowed.
They used oxen to plow the field.
My street hasn't been plowed yet.
We hired someone to plow the snow from our driveway.
The town won't start plowing until the storm is almost over.
a ship plowing the ocean
They continued to plow their way through the tall grass.

Recent Examples of plow from the Web

Now, these won’t be Robo Rovers that can plow through streams and scramble over hulking tree roots—at least not anytime soon.

— alex davies, WIRED, "Land Rover Wants to Take Self-Driving Cars Off-Roading," 9 June 2018
Drivers who were violating curfews and plowing through intersections, instead of treating them as four-way-stops according to Montes.

— OrlandoSentinel.com, "Hurricane curfews and traffic," 30 May 2018
This would presumably allow officers to shoot at an attacker who purposefully plowed through crowds of bystanders — a theoretical situation often raised by the union.

— evan sernoffsky, San Francisco Chronicle, "San Francisco officer’s shots at moving vehicle rekindle tense debate," 22 May 2018
Marcus Martin pushed his fiancée Marissa Blair out of the way as a car, driven by Alex Fields, plowed through a crowd of counter-protesters on August 12.

— mary bowerman, USA TODAY, "Couple who survived Charlottesville attack get married in service dedicated to slain friend," 18 May 2018
At Rodriguez Live Fire Complex, a unit attached to the 2nd Infantry Division steered an Abrams tank equipped with a mine plow through a muddy field on May 2.

— andrew jeong, WSJ, "As U.S. and North Korea Talk Peace, Soldiers Prepare for the Alternative," 11 May 2018
Shourav Dasari of Houston, Texas, for instance, is shown plowing through an immense spreadsheet of dictionary entries, taking only a second or two to check the pronunciation of each word before typing the spelling with feverish speed.

— ben zimmer, The Atlantic, "The Infectious Enthusiasm of Breaking the Bee," 11 May 2018
The driver of a pickup plowed through bushes and the brick facade of a Sharpstown-area home early Sunday to land in a front room.

— alyson ward, Houston Chronicle, "Truck plows into front of Sharpstown home," 6 May 2018
This is a president who puts on a suit of armor every day and keeps plowing through, delivering for the country.

— Fox News, "Hogan Gidley on Macron's 'special relationship' with Trump," 25 Apr. 2018