apply
English
[edit]Etymology 1
[edit]Etymology tree
From Middle English aplien, applien, from Old French applier, (French appliquer), from Latin applicō (“join, fix, or attach to”); from ad + plicō (“fold, twist together”). See applicant, ply.
Pronunciation
[edit]Verb
[edit]apply (third-person singular simple present applies, present participle applying, simple past and past participle applied)
- (transitive) To lay or place; to put (one thing to another)
- to apply cream to a rash
- 1697, John Dryden, Translation of Virgil's Aeneid:
- He said, and to the sword his throat applied.
- (transitive) To put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case
- Synonyms: appropriate, devote, use
- to apply funds to the repayment of a debt
- (transitive) To make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relevant.
- We need to apply the skills we’ve learned to solve this problem.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- Yet God at last To Satan, first in sin, his doom applied.
- (transitive) To put closely; to join; to engage and employ diligently or with attention.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 23:12:
- Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
- (reflexive) To work diligently and attentively.
- My parents say I could do well in school if I would apply myself.
- (transitive, usually reflexive) To address oneself; to refer.
- 1725, Homer, “Book X”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume III, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:
- sacred vows […] applied to grisly Pluto
- 1854 August 9, Henry D[avid] Thoreau, “Economy”, in Walden; or, Life in the Woods, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC:
- On applying to the assessors, I am surprised to learn that they cannot at once name a dozen in the town who own their farms free and clear.
- (intransitive) To submit oneself as a candidate (with the adposition "to" or "at" designating the recipient of the submission, and the adposition "for" designating the position).
- I recently applied to the tavern for a job as a bartender.
- Most of the colleges she applied to were ones she thought she had a good chance of getting into.
- Many of them don't know it, but almost a third of the inmates are eligible to apply for parole or work-release programs.
- 1974 August 7, Ronald A. Frank, “SP Seeks Approval for Coast-to-Coast Digital Net”, in Computerworld, page 15:
- Southern Pacific Communications Co. (SP) has applied to the FCC for approval of the first coast-to-coast digital data transmission service.
- (intransitive) To pertain or be relevant.
- Synonym: extend
- That rule only applies to foreigners.
- (obsolete) To busy; to keep at work; to ply.
- a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
- She was no less skillful in applying his humours.
- (obsolete) To visit.
- [1611?], Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume (please specify the book number), London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC:
- His armour was so clear,
And he applied each place so fast, that like a lightning thrown
Out of the shield of Jupiter, in every eye he shone.
Derived terms
[edit]Descendants
[edit]- → Cebuano: aplay
Translations
[edit]to lay or place; to put (one thing to another)
|
to put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case — see also use, employ, utilize
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to make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relevant
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to work diligently and attentively
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to address oneself, refer
to submit oneself as a candidate — see also run
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to be relevant to a specified individual
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Etymology 2
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]- IPA(key): /ˈæp(ə)li/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Adjective
[edit]apply (comparative more apply, superlative most apply)
- Alternative spelling of appley.
References
[edit]- “apply”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Anagrams
[edit]Categories:
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pel- (fold)
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *h₂éd
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms derived from Proto-Italic
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pleḱ-
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/aɪ
- Rhymes:English/aɪ/2 syllables
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English terms with collocations
- English terms with quotations
- English terms with usage examples
- English reflexive verbs
- English intransitive verbs
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English terms suffixed with -y
- English 3-syllable words
- English adjectives
- English ergative verbs
- English heteronyms