Meaning & use
plowed
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“plowed” is a form of “plow”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
turned over or moved earth with a plow, especially to prepare soil for crops.
Grammar: Can take an object (plowed the field) or be used without one (the farmer plowed all day).
Patterns
- plow a field
- plow the soil
- plow through something
The farmer plowed the field before planting corn.
They plowed through the heavy clay soil with a tractor.
After the harvest, he plowed the land to get it ready for next spring.
verbintransitive
moved forward with force, pushing things aside, often through snow or a crowd.
Grammar: Often followed by 'through' or 'into': the car plowed through the snow.
Patterns
- plow through something
- plow into something
- plow ahead
The truck plowed through the deep snow to reach the village.
She plowed into the room, ignoring everyone in her way.
The ship plowed through the waves during the storm.
adjectivebefore a noun
having had snow cleared away with a plow, as in a road or path.
Grammar: Used before a noun: a plowed road, plowed sidewalks.
Patterns
- plowed road
- plowed field
- plowed sidewalk
The plowed roads made driving safe after the blizzard.
We walked along the plowed path to the cabin.
Only the main streets were plowed by morning.
adjectivenot comparableslanginformal
very drunk (slang).
Grammar: Used in informal speech, often after 'be' or 'get': he was plowed.
Patterns
- get plowed
- be plowed
He got completely plowed at the party and had to take a taxi home.
They were too plowed to drive, so they called a friend.
Word forms
| third person singular | plows |
|---|---|
| past tense | plowed |
| past participle | plowed |
| -ing form | plowing |
Common combinations
- plowed field
- The plowed field was ready for seeds.
- plowed snow
- Huge piles of plowed snow lined the street.
- plow through a book
- She plowed through the novel in one weekend.
- plowed road
- The plowed road was clear by noon.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tilled
- Tilled is more formal and specifically means prepared for crops; plowed can also mean pushed through something.
- cleared
- Cleared means removed obstacles; plowed specifically means pushed snow or earth aside.
- drunk
- Drunk is the standard word; plowed is slang and stronger.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: plowed or ploughed? plowed or plodded?
plowed vs ploughed
This is the British spelling of the same word; American English uses 'plowed'.
plowed vs plodded
Plodded means walked slowly and heavily; plowed means turned earth or pushed through something.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
After 'before', we use a gerund (-ing form) or a full clause; here 'before planting' is correct. The other options use wrong verb forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “plowed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.