Meaning & use
plow
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Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
To cut and turn over soil with a plow so that seeds can be planted.
Grammar: With an object: plow the field; without: he plowed all day.
Patterns
- plow a field
- plow under something
The farmer plowed the field before planting corn.
They plow in early spring.
She plowed under the old crop.
verbintransitive
To move forward forcefully through something, or to crash into something.
Grammar: Usually with through, into or ahead.
Patterns
- plow through something
- plow into something
- plow ahead
The truck plowed into a fence.
She plowed through the crowd.
They plowed ahead despite the snow.
verbtransitive
To clear snow from a road or path using a plow.
Grammar: Takes an object: plow the driveway.
Patterns
- plow the road
Crews plowed the highway overnight.
He plows driveways for extra money.
The street was plowed by morning.
nouncountable
A farm tool or vehicle attachment that cuts and turns over soil, or pushes snow aside.
Grammar: British spelling is plough.
Patterns
- a snow plow
The farmer hitched the plow to the tractor.
A snow plow cleared the road.
Old plows were pulled by horses.
Word forms
| third person singular | plows |
|---|---|
| past tense | plowed |
| past participle | plowed |
| -ing form | plowing |
| plural | plows |
Common combinations
- plow the field
- They plowed the field in April.
- plow into
- A car plowed into the wall.
- plow through
- She plowed through the paperwork.
- snow plow
- A snow plow rumbled down the street.
- plow ahead
- He plowed ahead with the plan.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- plowman noun
- a person who plows
- plowshare noun
- the cutting blade of a plow
Commonly confused: plow or plough?
plow vs plough
Plough is the British spelling of the same word.
Practice
The delivery van ___ into the parked car.
Choose one answer.
The sentence needs the past tense, plowed. The other forms do not fit the grammar.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “plow”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.