English Dictionary |
APPLY (applied)
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
IPA (US): |
Dictionary entry overview: What does apply mean?
• APPLY (verb)
The verb APPLY has 10 senses:
1. put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose
2. be pertinent or relevant or applicable
5. be applicable to; as to an analysis
8. ensure observance of laws and rules
9. refer (a word or name) to a person or thing
Familiarity information: APPLY used as a verb is familiar.
Dictionary entry details
Conjugation: |
Past simple: applied
Past participle: applied
-ing form: applying
Sense 1
Meaning:
Put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose
Classified under:
Verbs of eating and drinking
Synonyms:
apply; employ; use; utilise; utilize
Context example:
He doesn't know how to use a computer
Cause:
apply; go for; hold (be pertinent or relevant or applicable)
Verb group:
apply; practice; use (avail oneself to)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "apply"):
commit; consecrate; dedicate; devote; give (give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause)
fall back; recur; resort (have recourse to)
implement (apply in a manner consistent with its purpose or design)
put to work; work (cause to work)
share (use jointly or in common)
take (travel or go by means of a certain kind of transportation, or a certain route)
enjoy (have benefit from)
extend; strain (use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity)
exploit; tap (draw from; make good use of)
exploit; work (use or manipulate to one's advantage)
recycle; reprocess; reuse (use again after processing)
overdrive; overuse (make use of too often or too extensively)
avail (use to one's advantage)
misapply; misuse (apply to a wrong thing or person; apply badly or incorrectly)
waste (use inefficiently or inappropriately)
address (address or apply oneself to something, direct one's efforts towards something, such as a question)
ply (use diligently)
assign; put (attribute or give)
pull out all the stops (use all resources available)
play (use or move)
play (employ in a game or in a specific position)
cannibalise; cannibalize (use parts of something to repair something else)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Derivation:
application (the act of bringing something to bear; using it for a particular purpose)
applicative; applicatory (readily applicable or practical)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Be pertinent or relevant or applicable
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
Context example:
The same rules go for everyone
Hypernyms (to "apply" is one way to...):
bear on; come to; concern; have to do with; pertain; refer; relate; touch; touch on (be relevant to)
Verb group:
apply; lend oneself (be applicable to; as to an analysis)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Derivation:
applicable (capable of being applied; having relevance)
applicative (readily applicable or practical)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Ask (for something)
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Context example:
apply for a job
Hypernyms (to "apply" is one way to...):
ask for; bespeak; call for; quest; request (express the need or desire for)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "apply"):
put in; submit (make an application as for a job or funding)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Somebody ----s to somebody
Sentence example:
They apply to move
Derivation:
application (a verbal or written request for assistance or employment or admission to a school)
applier; applicant (a person who requests or seeks something such as assistance or employment or admission)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Apply to a surface
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
apply; put on
Context example:
Put on make-up!
Hypernyms (to "apply" is one way to...):
cover (provide with a covering or cause to be covered)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "apply"):
daub (apply to a surface)
clap on; slam on; slap on (apply carelessly)
sponge on (apply with a sponge)
putty (apply putty in order to fix or fill)
cold-cream (put cold cream on one's face)
cream (put on cream, as on one's face or body)
dress (put a dressing on)
gum (cover, fill, fix or smear with or as if with gum)
dab; swab; swob (apply (usually a liquid) to a surface)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something PP
Derivation:
application (the work of applying something)
application (liquid preparation having a soothing or antiseptic or medicinal action when applied to the skin)
applier (a device for applying a substance)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Be applicable to; as to an analysis
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
apply; lend oneself
Context example:
This theory lends itself well to our new data
Verb group:
apply; go for; hold (be pertinent or relevant or applicable)
Sentence frame:
Something is ----ing PP
Derivation:
applicable (capable of being applied; having relevance)
application (the act of bringing something to bear; using it for a particular purpose)
applicative; applicatory (readily applicable or practical)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Give or convey physically
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
apply; give
Context example:
I gave him a punch in the nose
Hypernyms (to "apply" is one way to...):
administer; allot; deal; deal out; dish out; dispense; distribute; dole out; lot; mete out; parcel out; shell out (administer or bestow, as in small portions)
Verb group:
give (give (as medicine))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "apply"):
tread (apply (the tread) to a tire)
administer (perform (a church sacrament) ritually)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Sense 7
Meaning:
Avail oneself to
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
Context example:
practice non-violent resistance
Verb group:
apply; employ; use; utilise; utilize (put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "apply"):
follow (adhere to or practice)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
applicable (capable of being applied; having relevance)
application (the act of bringing something to bear; using it for a particular purpose)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Ensure observance of laws and rules
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
Context example:
Apply the rules to everyone
Hypernyms (to "apply" is one way to...):
compel; obligate; oblige (force somebody to do something)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "apply"):
execute; run (carry out a process or program, as on a computer or a machine)
execute (carry out the legalities of)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
applicative (readily applicable or practical)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Refer (a word or name) to a person or thing
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Context example:
He applied this racial slur to me!
Hypernyms (to "apply" is one way to...):
denote; refer (have as a meaning)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s something PP
Derivation:
application (the act of bringing something to bear; using it for a particular purpose)
Sense 10
Meaning:
Apply oneself to
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Context example:
Please apply yourself to your homework
Hypernyms (to "apply" is one way to...):
commit; consecrate; dedicate; devote; give (give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Derivation:
application (a diligent effort)
Context examples
Well, we may have to apply to you again if Mrs. Barclay should prove to be in serious trouble.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
And when, days later, he applied for the results of his examinations, he learned that he had failed in everything save grammar.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
I realize that your words applied to Mr. James Wilder, and that he is not the murderer.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
The gel is applied to the skin of affected areas.
(Baclofen/amitriptyline/ketamine gel, NCI Dictionary)
This term particularly applies to mediastinal lymphomas with overlapping features of mediastinal (thymic) large B-cell lymphoma and classical Hodgkin lymphoma.
(B-Cell Lymphoma, Unclassifiable, with Features Intermediate between Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma, NCI Thesaurus)
The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse or covering a screen.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
A bottle which includes a device for applying its contents.
(Applicator Bottle, NCI Thesaurus)
A non-technical term applied to all tissues outside the vascular cambium in woody root, stem, or branch.
(Bark, Food and Drug Administration)
A non-technical term applied to all tissues outside the vascular cambium in a woody root.
(Bark, Root, Food and Drug Administration)
When applied topically in the eye, this agent reduces aqueous humor secretion and lowers the intraocular pressure (IOP).
(Betaxolol, NCI Thesaurus)
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