Apply — Defs

01 v. t. To lay or place; to put or adjust (one thing to another); -- with to; as, to apply the hand to the breast; to apply medicaments to a diseas…

imp. & p. p. Applied; p. pr. & vb. n. Applying

1.
To lay or place; to put or adjust (one thing to another); -- with to; as, to apply the hand to the breast; to apply medicaments to a diseased part of the body.
“He said, and the sword his throat applied.” — Dryden.
2.
To put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case; to appropriate; to devote; as, to apply money to the payment of a debt.
3.
To make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relative; as, to apply the testimony to the case; to apply an epithet to a person.
“Yet God at last To Satan, first in sin, his doom applied.” — Milton.
4.
To fix closely; to engage and employ diligently, or with attention; to attach; to incline.
“Apply thine heart unto instruction.” — Prov. xxiii. 12.
5.
To direct or address.[R.]
“Sacred vows . . . applied to grisly Pluto.” — Pope.
6.
To betake; to address; to refer; -- used reflexively.
“I applied myself to him for help.” — Johnson.
7.
To busy; to keep at work; to ply.[Obs.]
“She was skillful in applying his “humors.”” — Sir P. Sidney.
8.
To visit.[Obs.]
“And he applied each place so fast.” — Chapman.

Phrases & compounds

Applied chemistry — See under Chemistry.

Applied mathematics — See under Mathematics.

02 v. i. To suit; to agree; to have some connection, agreement, or analogy; as, this argument applies well to the case.

1.
To suit; to agree; to have some connection, agreement, or analogy; as, this argument applies well to the case.
2.
To make request; to have recourse with a view to gain something; to make application. (to); to solicit; as, to apply to a friend for information.
3.
To ply; to move.[R.]
“I heard the sound of an oar applying swiftly through the water.” — T. Moore.
4.
To apply or address one's self; to give application; to attend closely (to).