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."
separable
plough down
B2 neutral separable transitive
To knock down or crash into something with heavy, unstoppable force.
In plain English
To hit something very hard and knock it over, usually with a vehicle.
What does "plough down" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
A plough pushing or knocking things down as it moves.
Actually means
To hit something very hard and knock it over, usually with a vehicle.
Usage tip
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.
Words that pair with "plough down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
pedestrian barrier fence cyclist tree wall
How to conjugate "plough down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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
Hear "plough down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "plough down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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