Ply , n. [Cf. F. pli, fr. plier. See
Ply, v.]
1. A fold; a plait; a turn
or twist, as
of a cord. Arbuthnot.
2.
Bent; turn; direction; bias.
The late learners
can not so well take the
ply.
Bacon. Boswell, and others of Goldsmith's contemporaries, . .
. did not understand the secret plies of his character.
W. Irving. The czar's mind had taken a strange ply, which it retained to the last.
Macaulay. &fist; Ply is used in composition to designate folds, or the number of
webs interwoven; as, a three-ply carpet.
Ply , v. i. 1. To
bend; to yield. [Obs.]
It would rather burst atwo than
plye.
Chaucer. The willow plied, and gave way to the gust.
L'Estrange.
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).
Milton.
He was forced to ply in the
streets as a porter.
Addison.
The heavy
hammers and mallets plied.
Longfellow.
3. (Naut.) To work to windward; to beat.
Ply (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plied (?); p. pr. & vb.
n. Plying (?).]
[OE. plien,
F. plier to fold, to bend,
fr. L. plicare; akin to Gr. &?;, G. flechten. Cf.
Apply, Complex, Display,
Duplicity, Employ, Exploit,
Implicate, Plait, Pliant, Flax.] 1. To bend. [Obs.]
As men may warm wax
with handes plie.
Chaucer. 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
Dryden. He plies the duke at morning and at night.
Shak. 3. To employ diligently; to use steadily.
Go ply thy needle; meddle not.
Shak. 4. To practice or perform with diligence; to work at.
Their bloody task, unwearied, still they ply.
Waller.
Hear it pronounced