to plow ahead
3
4.7
- phrasal verb
- /plaʊ əˈhɛd/
- US
:
seguir adelante
- Even when critics doubted him, he chose to plow ahead with his ambitious goals.
- just plow ahead
- try to plow ahead
It would be attempting to simply plow ahead to get to the end of this section.
- It would be attempting to simply plow ahead to get to the end of this section.
- Because prior, I was like, plowing ahead and never not slowing down to to wonder why that was happening.
Examples
-
We plow ahead year after year.
Blog text (28) -
I plowed ahead, and I'm glad I did.
Blog text (2) -
Either way, she plowed ahead.
Fiction book (2002) -
So we need to keep plowing ahead with the logic and get to a place where we can rework everything.
-
They simply plowed ahead with their grievances.
Fiction book (2002) -
Drummond plows ahead with his argument, completely unfazed.
Fiction book (1995) -
While waiting for the legislation to gain traction in Congress, Lessig is plowing ahead with Kahle on a judicial challenge.
Academic text (2005) -
In the meantime, while these aspirations blossom or fade, AGRA is plowing ahead with its program for improving African agriculture.
Academic text (2008) -
A glance at the data readouts on the displays beside the main screen showed that the rover was plowing ahead at a steady thirty kilometers per hour.
Fiction book (1999) -
Despite the challenges we faced, we decided to plow ahead with our original plan.
Synonyms
∞
2.3
Start or continue something after deciding to do it
161
4.4
Move forward without stopping or slowing down
39
3.6
To keep going despite problems until you finish
38
5.3
To move forward steadily with determination
22
5.1
Keep trying to do something even when it is hard
21
3.7
Move forward or keep going despite difficulty
20
4.1
To keep doing something even when it is difficult or people disagree
19
3.1
To keep making progress despite problems
16
4.6
To keep working on a task until it is finished, even when it is hard
8
4.2
Continue and finish a task with strong effort when it is hard or you are tired
3
3.7
To move forward steadily despite problems
1
5.6
To work slowly and steadily through a task despite finding it hard
1
5.0
Keep doing something despite difficulty or others telling you to stop
1
7.4
To move forward with difficulty through people or things with effort
To continue to try hard even when things are difficult
To keep trying and do well despite difficult times
To work hard and continue when things are difficult
Keep going despite problems or objections
Antonyms
How Determined
22
5.1
- US
3
4.7
19
3.1
253
2.7
346
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to continue determinedly despite difficulties' is directly derivable from combining 'plow' (to force one’s way through obstacles) with 'ahead' (forward). The phrase is a transparent, metaphorical extension of the literal motion of plowing forward, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reasonably infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The phrasal verb plow ahead comes from farming: a plow is a heavy tool that moves ahead through hard earth or snow to make a clear path, pushing past obstacles. That's why it now means 'to continue despite difficulties' and act with determination.