plow under
To bury something by plowing it into the ground, or to completely crush or destroy something
Meanings
To turn a crop or plant material into the soil by plowing, so it decomposes and enriches the earth
"The farmer plowed the clover under in autumn to act as a natural fertilizer for next year's crop."
To cause a business, organization, or person to fail by overwhelming or outcompeting them
"The arrival of the big-box retailer plowed several family-owned shops under within a year."
The literal agricultural sense is specialized but clear. The figurative sense — meaning to cause something to fail or be destroyed by a superior force — is used in journalism and business contexts, particularly American English.
Commonly used with
Forms
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