[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

apply \apply"\, v. t. imp.  p. p. applied; p. pr.  vb. n.
   applying. of. aplier, f. appliquer, fr. l. applicare to
   join, fix, or attach to; ad + plicare to fold, to twist
   together. see applicant, ply.
   1. to lay or place; to put or adjust one thing to another;
      -- with to; as, to apply the hand to the breast; to apply
      medicaments to a diseased part of the body.
      1913 webster

            he said, and the sword his throat applied. --dryden.
      1913 webster

   2. to put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose,
      or in a particular case; to appropriate; to devote; as, to
      apply money to the payment of a debt.
      1913 webster

   3. to make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable,
      fitting, or relative; as, to apply the testimony to the
      case; to apply an epithet to a person.
      1913 webster

            yet god at last
            to satan, first in sin, his doom applied. --milton.
      1913 webster

   4. to fix closely; to engage and employ diligently, or with
      attention; to attach; to incline.
      1913 webster

            apply thine heart unto instruction.   --prov. xxiii.
                                                  12.
      1913 webster

   5. to direct or address. r.
      1913 webster

            sacred vows . . . applied to grisly pluto. --pope.
      1913 webster

   6. to betake; to address; to refer; -- used reflexively.
      1913 webster

            i applied myself to him for help.     --johnson.
      1913 webster

   7. to busy; to keep at work; to ply. obs.
      1913 webster

            she was skillful in applying his "humors." --sir p.
                                                  sidney.
      1913 webster

   8. to visit. obs.
      1913 webster

            and he applied each place so fast.    --chapman.
      1913 webster

   applied chemistry. see under chemistry.

   applied mathematics. see under mathematics.
      1913 webster
see also:
applied applying applicant ply applied chemistry chemistry 
applied mathematics mathematics 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

apply \apply"\, v. i.
   1. to suit; to agree; to have some connection, agreement, or
      analogy; as, this argument applies well to the case.
      1913 webster

   2. to make request; to have recourse with a view to gain
      something; to make application. to; to solicit; as, to
      apply to a friend for information.
      1913 webster

   3. to ply; to move. r.
      1913 webster

            i heard the sound of an oar applying swiftly through
            the water.                            --t. moore.
      1913 webster

   4. to apply or address one's self; to give application; to
      attend closely to.
      1913 webster

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

apply
     v 1: put into service; make work or employ something for a
          particular purpose or for its inherent or natural
          purpose; "use your head"; "we only use spanish at
          home"; "i can't make use of this tool"; "apply a
          magnetic field here"; "this thinking was applied to many
          projects"; "how do you utilize this tool?"; "i apply
          this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to
          store the food"; "he doesn't know how to use a computer"
          syn: use, utilize, utilise, employ
     2: be pertinent or relevant or applicable; "the same laws apply
        to you"; "this theory holds for all irrational numbers";
        "the same rules go for everyone" syn: hold, go for
     3: ask for something; "he applied for a leave of absence";
        "she applied for college"; "apply for a job"
     4: apply to a surface; "she applied paint to the back of the
        house"; "put on make-up" syn: put on
     5: be applicable to; as to an analysis; "this theory lends
        itself well to our new data" syn: lend oneself ant: defy
     6: give or convey physically; "she gave him first aid"; "i gave
        him a punch in the nose" syn: give
     7: avail oneself to; "apply a principle"; "practice a
        religion"; "use care when going down the stairs"; "use
        your common sense"; "practice non-violent resistance"
        syn: practice, use
     8: ensure observance of laws and rules; "apply the rules to
        everyone"; syn: enforce, implement ant: exempt
     9: refer a word or name to a person or thing; "he applied
        this racial slur to me"
     10: apply oneself to; "please apply yourself to your homework"
     also: applied
see also:
use utilize utilise employ hold go for 
put on lend oneself defy give practice 
enforce implement exempt applied 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

193 moby thesaurus words for "apply":
   accouter, accredit, address, administer, affix, allot, ally,
   appeal, appertain, apply for, apply to, appoint, appropriate,
   ascribe, ask, ask for, assign, associate, attach, attend,
   attribute, audition, authorize, bear, beg, beg leave, bend,
   beseech, bespeak, bestow, bid, bind, blanket, block, bracket,
   buckle down, call for, call on, call upon, canopy, carry out,
   cement, circulate a petition, cloak, clothe, cloud, commission,
   commit, concentrate, connect, cope, correlate, couple, cover,
   cover up, cowl, crave, credit, curtain, dedicate, demand, desire,
   devote, direct, do, dose, dose with, draw a parallel, dress up,
   drudge, eclipse, embellish, embrocate, employ, enforce,
   enforce upon, enrich, entreat, equate, equip, exercise, exploit,
   fasten, file for, film, finger, fit out, fix, focus, force,
   force upon, furbish, garnish, gear, give, glue, go, go after,
   grind, handle, hood, identify, implore, importune, impute, indent,
   interrelate, interview, lay on, lay over, link, make,
   make a request, make a requisition, make application, mantle, mask,
   memorialize, mete out to, muffle, name, nominate, obduce, obscure,
   occult, order, outfit, overlay, overspread, parallel, parallelize,
   pay attention, pertain, petition, place, pray, prefer a petition,
   prescribe for, press, put, put in, put in for, put in force,
   put in practice, put into execution, put on, put to use, put upon,
   recur, refer, register, relate, relativize, repair, request,
   requisition, rig, rub in, rub on, run, screen, scum, seek,
   set about, set off, shield, sign a petition, solicit, spread over,
   spruce up, stick, sue, suit, superimpose, superpose, supplicate,
   take on, tap, tend, throw, tie, toil, try out, turn, turn out,
   undertake, urge, use, utilize, veil, wed, whistle for, wish

Apply >> A Words
Apply, definition of term: Apply
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