apply

To lay or place; to put (one thing to another)

Adjective

  1. Alternative spelling of appley.

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ébōl Proto-Germanic *aplaz Proto-West Germanic *applu Old English æppel Middle English appel English apple English -y English apply From apple + -y.

Forms

more apply most apply

Verb

  1. To lay or place; to put (one thing to another)
    • to apply cream to a rash
    • He said, and to the sword his throat applied. - 1697, John Dryden, Translation of Virgil's Aeneid:
  2. To put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case
    • to apply funds to the repayment of a debt

    Synonyms: appropriate devote use

  3. To make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relevant.
    • We need to apply the skills we’ve learned to solve this problem.
    • Yet God at last To Satan, first in sin, his doom applied. - 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd...
  4. To put closely; to join; to engage and employ diligently or with attention.
    • Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 23:12:

    Synonyms: attach incline

  5. To work diligently and attentively.
    • My parents say I could do well in school if I would apply myself.
  6. To address oneself; to refer.
    • sacred vows […] applied to grisly Pluto - 1725, Homer, “Book X”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume III, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:
    • On applying to the assessors, I am surprised to learn that they cannot at once name a dozen in the town who own their farms free and clear. - 1854 August 9, Henry D[avid] Thoreau, “Economy”, in Walden; or, Life in the...
  7. To submit oneself as a candidate (with the adposition "to" or "at" designating the recipient of the submission, and the adposition "for" designating the position).
    • I recently applied to the tavern for a job as a bartender.
    • Most of the colleges she applied to were ones she thought she had a good chance of getting into.
    • Many of them don't know it, but almost a third of the inmates are eligible to apply for parole or work-release programs.
  8. To pertain or be relevant.
    • That rule only applies to foreigners.

    Synonyms: extend

  9. To busy; to keep at work; to ply.
    • She was no less skillful in applying his humours. - a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes...
  10. To visit.
    • His armour was so clear, And he applied each place so fast, that like a lightning thrown Out of the shield of Jupiter, in every eye he shone. - [1611?], Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman,...

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *pel- Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-der. Latin plicō Latin applicō Old French applierbor. Middle English aplien English apply Inherited from Middle English aplien, borrowed from Old French applier, from Latin applicō, from ad- + plicō (“fold; arrive”). See applicant, ply.

Forms

applies applying applied

Derived

appliable appliance applicable applicant applicate application applicatory applier appliment applyingly apply oneself coapply deapply disapply misappliance misapply nonapplying overapply preapply reapply unapply underapply