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plough

1. A well-known implement, drawn by horses, mules, oxen, or other power, for turning up the soil to prepare it for bearing crops; also used to furrow or break up the soil for other purposes; as, the subsoil plow; the draining plow. Where fern succeeds ungrateful to the plow. (Dryden)

2. Agriculture; husbandry.

3. A carucate of land; a plowland. Johan, mine eldest son, shall have plowes five. (tale of Gamelyn)

4. A joiner's plane for making grooves; a grooving plane.

5. An implement for trimming or shaving off the edges of books.

6. (Science: astronomy) same as Charles's wain. Ice plow, a plow used for cutting ice on rivers, ponds, etc, into cakes suitable for storing. Mackerel plow. See Mackerel. Plow alms, a penny formerly paid by every plowland to the church. Plow beam, that part of the frame of a plow to which the draught is applied. See Beam. Plow Monday, the Monday after Twelth day, or the end of christmas holidays. Plow staff. A kind of long-handled spade or paddle for cleaning the plowshare; a paddle staff. A plow handle. Snow plow, a structure, usually lambda-shaped, for removing snow from sidewalks, railroads, etc, drawn or driven by a horse or a locomotive.

Origin: OE. Plouh, plou, AS. Ploh; akin to D. Ploeg, G. Pflug, OHG. Pfluog, pfluoh, Icel. Plogr, Sw. Plog, Dan. Ploug, plov, Russ. Plug', Lith. Plugas.