ply
UK[plaɪ]US[plaɪ]
v
to work steadily at a trade or business; to travel regularly over a route
v
to use a tool or instrument with skill and energy
n
a layer of material or a thickness of strands, as in wood or rope
Etymology
the word 'ply' entered english from middle french 'plier', meaning 'to bend or fold', which itself descended from latin 'plicāre', 'to fold'. this latin verb traces back to the proto-indo-european root pleḱ-, meaning 'to plait or weave'. the core concept of folding or layering underpins its modern meanings: the verb sense of working steadily or traveling a route evokes the repetitive, layered nature of the action, while the noun sense directly denotes a layer or thickness, as in plywood or multi-ply yarn.
Analysis
the word is a simplex unit derived from the middle english verb 'plien', meaning 'to bend' or 'to fold'. it is not productively formed from smaller, identifiable morphemes in modern english.
Examples
the ferry plies between the island and the mainland several times a day.
she plied her needle with great skill, creating an intricate embroidery.
this strong rope is made of three separate plies twisted together.