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plough

Farming
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A plough is a Farming tool used to turn over soil in preparation for planting crops.

Detailed Definition
The plough, an essential agricultural implement, is designed to break up and aerate soil, making it suitable for planting seeds. In Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse," the plough symbolizes human intervention in nature, as it disrupts the mouse's home and habitat. This act of ploughing not only represents the physical alteration of the landscape but also reflects broader themes of man's dominion over nature and the unintended consequences of agricultural practices.
Example
Example in poetry:
In "To a Mouse," Burns writes, "Till crash! the cruel coulter past / Out thro’ thy cell." Here, the "coulter," a part of the plough, signifies the destructive force of Farming that uproots the mouse's nest, illustrating the conflict between nature and human activity.
Additional Notes
The term "plough" has its origins in Old English "plōh," which is related to the act of turning soil. Historically, ploughs have evolved from simple wooden tools to more complex machinery, reflecting advancements in agricultural technology. Related terms include "plowing" (the act of using a plough) and "tillage" (the preparation of soil for growing crops). In literature, the plough often symbolizes both cultivation and destruction, making it a powerful metaphor in discussions of nature and humanity.
Other Meanings of “plough”
Also Known As
Cultivator Tiller Soil Turner
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