ply

Universal Words verb, noun verb (plies, plying, plied, plied) 1 (literary) (of ships, buses, etc.) to travel regularly along a particular route or between two particular places: [V, +adv./prep.] Ferries ply across a narrow strait to the island. * The train plies twice a day between Paris and Madrid. * [VN] canals plied by gondolas and steam boats * ships plying the route between Tripoli and Malta 2 [VN] (formal) to use a tool, especially in a skilful way: The tailor delicately plied his needle. IDIOMS ply your trade (written) to do your work or business: This is the restaurant where he plied his trade as a cook. * Drug dealers openly plied their trade in front of children. ply for hire / trade / business (BrE) to look for customers, passengers, etc. in order to do business: taxis plying for hire outside the theatre PHRASALVERBS ply sb with sth 1 to keep giving sb large amounts of sth, especially food and/or drink: She plied us with tea and cake. 2 to keep asking sb questions: He plied me with questions from the moment he arrived. noun [U] (especially in compounds) a measurement of wool, rope, wood, etc. that tells you how thick it is: four-ply knitting yarn