Definition of plough

ploughnoun

cày

/plaʊ//plaʊ/

The word "plough" is of Old English origin, derived from the Old Frisian word "plōgā" and the Old Saxon word "plōh." These words all share a common Proto-Germanic root, "plōhō," which means "to scratch, dig, or grope." In Old English, the word was "plōh," and it referred not only to the agricultural implement but also to the act of plowing. The Old English form evolved into the Middle English "plough" and eventually the modern English "plough" in the 16th century. The spelling "plough" originally referred to the implement, while "ploughing" (from Old French "plougen" or "plogeyn") referred to the activity. Later, the spelling became interchangeable, as the verb form also came to be spelled "plough." In other Germanic languages, words for plow have similar etymologies: "Pflug" in German, "ploeg" in Afrikaans, "plog" in Danish, "pera" in Estonian, and "ploh" in both Dutch and Frisian. The Polish word "prąd" and the Czech word "pros" also originate from the Proto-Slavic root "prosŭ," meaning "to plow." In summary, the word "plough" has its roots in Proto-Germanic and has had a similar meaning and pronunciation in related Germanic languages, where the word ultimately derives from "to scratch, dig, or grope."

namespace

a large piece of farming equipment with one or several curved blades (= metal cutting parts), pulled by a tractor or by animals. It is used for digging and turning over soil, especially before seeds are planted.

một thiết bị nông nghiệp lớn có một hoặc nhiều lưỡi cong (= bộ phận cắt kim loại), được kéo bởi máy kéo hoặc động vật. Nó được sử dụng để đào và xới đất, đặc biệt là trước khi gieo hạt.

Example:
  • Oxen were used to pull ploughs.

    Bò được sử dụng để kéo cày.

Related words and phrases

a group of seven bright stars that can only be seen from the northern half of the world

một nhóm bảy ngôi sao sáng chỉ có thể nhìn thấy từ nửa phía bắc của thế giới

Idioms

under the plough
(British English, formal)used for growing crops, not for keeping animals on