ply

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1 1.2.1 Noun 1.3 Etymology 2 1.3.1 Verb 1.3.1.1 Derived terms 1.4 Etymology 3 1.4.1 Verb 1.5 Etymology 4 1.5.1 Noun 1.6 Etymology 5 1.6.1 Noun

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /plaɪ/
• Rhymes: -aɪ

ply

[edit] Etymology 1

From Middle English, from Middle French pli (“‘pleat, fold’”), from plier (“‘bend, fold’”), from Latin plico (“‘flod, fold together’”)

[edit] Noun

ply (plural plies)

1. A layer of material. (two-ply toilet paper)

[edit] Etymology 2

From Middle English plien (“‘bend, fold, mold’”), from Middle French plier (“‘bend, fold’”), see Etymololgy 1.

[edit] Verb

to ply (third-person singular simple present plies, present participle plying, simple past and past participle plied)

1. (transitive) to bend; to fold.
2. (intransitive) to flex.

[edit] Derived terms

• plier (agent noun)
• pliers

[edit] Etymology 3

From Middle English plien, short for applien (“‘apply’”)

[edit] Verb

to ply (third-person singular simple present plies, present participle plying, simple past and past participle plied)

1. (transitive) To work at diligently.

   He plied his trade as carpenter for forty-three years.

2. (transitive) To use vigorously.

   He plied his ax with bloody results.

3. (transitive) To travel over regularly.

   ply the seven seas

4. (transitive) To persist in offering.

   She plied him with liquor.

[edit] Etymology 4

Back-formation from reply.

[edit] Noun

ply (plural plies)

1. (artificial intelligence, game theory) In two-player sequential games, one turn taken by one of the players.

   He proposed to build 'Deep Purple' a super-computer capable of 24-ply look-ahead for chess.

[edit] Etymology 5

Back-formation from plywood.

[edit] Noun

ply (uncountable)

1. (colloquial) plywood