Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
PLY, v.2 Sc. usage, intr. or refl.: to apply oneself to a task, work hard and perseveringly. Also with on. Rare or obs. in Eng.Sc. 1705 Papers Rev. J. Anderson 109:
I . . . plyed myself to my study without any considerable distraction of thought.Slk. 1810 Hogg Poems (1865) 265:
We sleep a' the night, and we ply a' the day.Slk. 1899 C. M. Thomson Drummeldale 96:
They'll want to ply on and get it up afore the rain comes on.
