plough down
B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To hit something very hard and knock it over, usually with a vehicle.
Literal meaning: A plough pushing or knocking things down as it moves.
Meanings
1 B2 neutral
To knock someone or something down with great force, typically with a vehicle.
"The runaway lorry ploughed down several bollards before coming to a stop."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Chiefly British English. Often used in news reports about vehicles hitting pedestrians or other objects. The image is of a plough pushing everything out of its way.
Commonly used with
pedestrian barrier fence cyclist tree wall
Forms
Base
plough down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
ploughs down
he/she/it
Past simple
ploughed down
yesterday
Past participle
ploughed down
have + pp
-ing form
ploughing down
continuous
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