PLUVIOUS Plu"vi*ous, a. Etym: [L. pluviosus, pluvius, fr. pluvia rain: cf. F. pluvieux. See Pluvial, a.]

Defn: Abounding in rain; rainy; pluvial. Sir T. Browne.

PLY Ply, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plied; p. pr. & vb. n. Plying.] Etym: [OE. plien, F. plier to fold, to bend, fr. L. plicare; akin to Gr. flechten. Cf. Apply, Complex, Display, Duplicity, Employ, Exploit, Implicate, Plait, Pliant, Flax.]

1. To bend. [Obs.] As men may warm wax with handes plie. Chaucer.

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. And plies him with redoubled strokes Dryden. He plies the duke at morning and at night. Shak.

3. To employ diligently; to use steadily. Go ply thy needle; meddle not. Shak.

4. To practice or perform with diligence; to work at. Their bloody task, unwearied, still they ply. Waller.

PLY
Ply, v. i.

1. To bend; to yield. [Obs.] It would rather burst atwo than plye. Chaucer. The willow plied, and gave way to the gust. L'Estrange.

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. Ere half these authors be read (which will soon be with plying hard and daily). Milton. He was forced to ply in the streets as a porter. Addison. The heavy hammers and mallets plied. Longfellow.