APPLY (applied)

Pronunciation (US):

• APPLY (verb)
  The verb APPLY has 10 senses:

1. put into service; make work or employ (something) for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose
2. be pertinent or relevant or applicable
3. ask (for something)
4. apply to a surface
5. be applicable to; as to an analysis
6. give or convey physically
7. avail oneself to
8. ensure observance of laws and rules
9. refer (a word or name) to a person or thing
10. apply oneself to

  Familiarity information: APPLY used as a verb is familiar.

• APPLY (verb)

Meaning:

Put into service; make work or employ (something) for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

utilize; utilise; use; employ; apply

Context examples:

use your head! / we only use Spanish at home / I can't use this tool / Apply a magnetic field here / This thinking was applied to many projects / How do you utilize this tool? / I apply this rule to get good results / use the plastic bags to store the food / He doesn't know how to use a computer

Cause:

apply; go for; hold (be pertinent or relevant or applicable)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "apply"):

exploit; work (use or manipulate to one's advantage)

exploit; tap (draw from; make good use of)

extend; strain (use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity)

exercise; exert (put to use)

enjoy (have benefit from)

take (travel or go by means of a certain kind of transportation, or a certain route)

share (use jointly or in common)

put to work; work (cause to work)

implement (apply in a manner consistent with its purpose or design)

fall back; recur; resort (have recourse to)

recycle; reprocess; reuse (use again after processing)

cannibalise; cannibalize (use parts of something to repair something else)

overdrive; overuse (make use of too often or too extensively)

commit; consecrate; dedicate; devote; give (give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause)

play (employ in a game or in a specific position)

play (use or move)

pull out all the stops (use all resources available)

assign; put (attribute or give)

ply (use diligently)

address (address or apply oneself to something, direct one's efforts towards something, such as a question)

waste (use inefficiently or inappropriately)

misapply; misuse (apply to a wrong thing or person; apply badly or incorrectly)

avail (use to one's advantage)

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

Meaning:

Be pertinent or relevant or applicable

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

go for; apply; hold

Context examples:

The same laws apply to you! / This theory holds for all irrational numbers / The same rules go for everyone

Hypernyms (to "apply" is one way to...):

bear on; come to; concern; pertain; refer; relate; touch; touch on (have to do with or be relevant to)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Meaning:

Ask (for something)

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context examples:

He applied for a leave of absence / She applied for college / apply for a job

Hypernyms (to "apply" is one way to...):

bespeak; call for; quest; request (express the need or desire for; ask 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

Meaning:

Apply to a surface

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

apply; put on

Context examples:

She applied paint to the back of the house / 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"):

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)

daub (apply to a surface)

dab; swab; swob (apply (usually a liquid) to a surface)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Meaning:

Be applicable to; as to an analysis

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

lend oneself; apply

Context example:

This theory lends itself well to our new data

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Meaning:

Give or convey physically

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

apply; give

Context examples:

She gave him First Aid / 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)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "apply"):

tread (apply (the tread) to a tire)

administer (administer ritually; of church sacraments)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something to somebody

Meaning:

Avail oneself to

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

practice; use; apply

Context examples:

apply a principle / practice a religion / use care when going down the stairs / use your common sense / practice non-violent resistance

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "apply"):

follow (adhere to or practice)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Meaning:

Ensure observance of laws and rules

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

enforce; implement; apply

Context example:

Apply the rules to everyone

Hypernyms (to "apply" is one way to...):

compel; obligate; oblige (force or compel 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

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

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