plough share

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   The strong metal blade fixed to the front of a plough that cuts into the soil and turns it over.

   Grammar: Countable: a plough share, the plough share, plough shares.

   Patterns

   • a plough share
   • fit a plough share
   • sharpen a plough share

   The farmer replaced the worn plough share before starting the spring ploughing.

   In the museum you can see an old iron plough share from the 1800s.

   The blacksmith sharpened the plough share so it would cut through the heavy clay.

2. 2nouncountablefigurative

   A symbol or image of a plough share, sometimes used to represent peace or farming.

   Grammar: Countable; often used in phrases like 'beat swords into plough shares'.

   Patterns

   • beat swords into plough shares
   • turn swords into plough shares

   The prophet spoke of beating swords into plough shares and ending all wars.

   The sculpture shows a sword being melted down into a plough share.

Word forms

Common combinations

iron plough share

The iron plough share was heavy but very durable.

replace a plough share

You need to replace a plough share when it becomes blunt.

plough share blade

The plough share blade is the part that actually cuts the soil.

swords into plough shares

The old treaty called for turning swords into plough shares.

Synonyms and how they differ

plowshare

American spelling of the same word; use it in US English texts.

coulter

A different part of a plough: a vertical knife that cuts the soil ahead of the share; not a synonym.

Word family

plough noun

The whole farm tool that a plough share is part of.

plough verb

To turn over soil with a plough.

ploughman noun

A person who guides a plough, especially with animals.

Commonly confused: plough share or plough? plough share or plow share?

Practice

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