v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Plied p. pr. & vb. n. Plying ] [ OE. plien, F. plier to fold, to bend, fr. L. plicare; akin to Gr. &unr_;, G. flechten. Cf. Apply, Complex, Display, Duplicity, Employ, Exploit, Implicate, Plait, Pliant, Flax. ] 1. To bend. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

As men may warm wax with handes plie. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To lay on closely, or in folds; to work upon steadily, or with repeated acts; to press upon; to urge importunately; as, to ply one with questions, with solicitations, or with drink. [ 1913 Webster ]

And plies him with redoubled strokes Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

He plies the duke at morning and at night. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To employ diligently; to use steadily. [ 1913 Webster ]

Go ply thy needle; meddle not. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To practice or perform with diligence; to work at. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their bloody task, unwearied, still they ply. Waller. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To bend; to yield. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

It would rather burst atwo than plye. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

The willow plied, and gave way to the gust. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To act, go, or work diligently and steadily; especially, to do something by repeated actions; to go back and forth; as, a steamer plies between certain ports. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ere half these authors be read (which will soon be with plying hard and daily). Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was forced to ply in the streets as a porter. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

The heavy hammers and mallets plied. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) To work to windward; to beat. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. pli, fr. plier. See Ply, v. ] 1. A fold; a plait; a turn or twist, as of a cord. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Bent; turn; direction; bias. [ 1913 Webster ]

The late learners can not so well take the ply. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Boswell, and others of Goldsmith's contemporaries, . . . did not understand the secret plies of his character. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

The czar's mind had taken a strange ply, which it retained to the last. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Ply is used in composition to designate folds, or the number of webs interwoven; as, a three-ply carpet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, plies; specifically: (a) pl. A kind of balance used in raising and letting down a drawbridge. It consists of timbers joined in the form of a St. Andrew's cross. (b) pl. See Pliers. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. & n. See Plight. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

The members of a religious sect which first appeared at Plymouth, England, about 1830. They protest against sectarianism, and reject all official ministry or clergy. Also called Brethren, Christian Brethren, Plymouthists, etc. The Darbyites are a division of the Brethren. [ 1913 Webster ]