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ap·ply (ə-plī)
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v. ap·plied, ap·ply·ing, ap·plies
v.tr.
1. To bring into contact with something; put on: applied glue sparingly to the paper.
2. To put to or adapt for a special use: applies all her money to her mortgage.
3. To put into action: applied the brakes.
4. To engage (oneself) in a task with close attention or persistence: applied myself to my studies.
v.intr.
1. To be pertinent or relevant: a rule that applies to everyone.
2. To request or seek assistance, employment, or admission: applied for unemployment benefits; will apply to college next year.
[Middle English applien, from Old French aplier, from Latin applicāre, to affix : ad-, ad- + plicāre, to fold together; see plek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
ap·plia·ble adj.
ap·plier n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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