Meaning & use
plied
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“plied” is a form of “ply”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Past form of ply: kept offering someone something, such as questions, drinks or food, again and again.
Grammar: Takes an object plus 'with': plied him with questions.
Patterns
- plied someone with something
The host plied his guests with food all evening.
Reporters plied the star with questions as she left the building.
She was plied with coffee until she agreed to stay.
verbtransitive or intransitiveliterary
Past form of ply: traveled regularly along a route, especially of ships, ferries or taxis.
Grammar: Used with a route: ferries plied the river.
Patterns
- plied between A and B
- plied the river
Small steamers once plied the river between the two towns.
The ferry plied the bay for forty years before it was retired.
Taxis plied the streets looking for passengers.
verbtransitiveformalliterary
Past form of ply: worked at a trade or skill.
Grammar: Used with a trade as object: plied his trade.
Patterns
- plied a trade
He plied his trade as a cobbler in the village for decades.
Street musicians plied their craft near the station.
She plied her needle by candlelight.
Word forms
| base form | ply |
|---|
Common combinations
- plied with drink
- The witness said he was plied with drink before signing.
- plied the seas
- The old ship plied the seas for centuries.
- plied his trade
- He plied his trade as a baker in town.
- plied with questions
- The speaker was plied with questions after her talk.
- plied between
- A small boat plied between the island and the shore.
Synonyms and how they differ
- showered
- Showered with suggests a sudden heavy amount, while plied with suggests repeated and often persuasive offering.
- pressed
- Pressed implies urging someone, whereas plied with focuses on the continual supply of something.
- traveled
- Traveled is general for any journey, while plied implies a regular repeated route.
Word family
Commonly confused: plied or applied?
plied vs applied
Applied means put to use or requested a job. Plied is a different verb about offering repeatedly or traveling a route.
Practice
The salesman ___ the customers with free samples until they agreed to buy.
Choose one answer.
Plied with means offered repeatedly. Supplied needs a different pattern, and the others do not fit the grammar or meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “plied”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.