[plʌɪ], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a thickness or layer of a folded or laminated material
(e.g: tiles that have a black PVC ply in the lamination)


- (in game theory) the number of levels at which branching occurs in a tree of possible outcomes, typically corresponding to the number of moves ahead (in chess strictly half-moves ahead) considered by a computer program


Phrases:

Origin:
late Middle English (in the sense ‘fold’): from French pli ‘fold’, from the verb plier, from Latin plicare ‘to fold’

[plʌɪ], (Verb)

Definitions:
- work steadily with (a tool)
(e.g: a tailor delicately plying his needle)

- (of a vessel or vehicle) travel regularly over a route, typically for commercial purposes
(e.g: ferries ply across a strait to the island)

- provide someone with (food or drink) in a continuous or insistent way
(e.g: she plied me with tea and scones)


Phrases:
- ply for hire

Origin:
late Middle English: shortening of apply