Ply /(?)/

Ply

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Plied; p. pr. & vb. n. Plying

  1. To bend. [Obs.]
    As men may warm wax with handes plie.
  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
    He plies the duke at morning and at night.
  3. To employ diligently; to use steadily.
    Go ply thy needle; meddle not.
  4. To practice or perform with diligence; to work at.
    Their bloody task, unwearied, still they ply.

Ply

v. i.
  1. To bend; to yield. [Obs.]
    It would rather burst atwo than plye.
    The willow plied, and gave way to the gust.
  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).
    He was forced to ply in the streets as a porter.
    The heavy hammers and mallets plied.
  3. To work to windward; to beat. (Naut.)

Ply

n.
  1. A fold; a plait; a turn or twist, as of a cord.
  2. Bent; turn; direction; bias.
    The late learners can not so well take the ply.
    Boswell, and others of Goldsmith's contemporaries, . . . did not understand the secret plies of his character.
    The czar's mind had taken a strange ply, which it retained to the last.