apply Hear it!

apply Definition

ap·ply (ə plī′)

transitive verb -·plied′, -·ply′·ing

  1. to put on or spread on; place so as to be touching to apply a salve to the skin
  2. to put to some practical or specific use to apply one's knowledge to a problem
  3. to refer to a person or thing with (an epithet or suitable term)
  4. to concentrate (one's faculties) on; employ (oneself) diligently to apply oneself to one's work

Etymology: ME applien < OFr aplier < L applicare, to attach to < ad-, to + plicare, to fold: see ply

intransitive verb

  1. to make a formal request (to someone for something)
  2. to be appropriate, suitable, or relevant this principle always applies

apply Related Forms
ap·pli′er noun
apply Synonyms

apply

v.

  1. To make a request

    petition, demand, appeal, put in for; see ask 1, beg 1, try out for.

  2. To make use of

    utilize, employ, practice, implement; see use 1.

  3. To place upon

    affix, fasten, stamp, administer, lay on, put on, spread on, place on, touch, bestow, rub in, massage in; see also fasten 1, join 1.

  4. To be relevant

    be pertinent, pertain, bear on, have bearing on, relate to, be applicable to, be adapted to, be suitable to, allude to, concern, touch, touch on, involve, affect, regard, have reference to, connect, refer, fit, fit the case, have some connection with, suit, be in relationship, hold good, hold true, come into play.

apply Law Definition

v

  1. To make a formal motion or request to a court.
  2. To be relevant; to have bearing upon; to be instructive.
  3. To devote, use, or assign for a particular purpose.
apply Usage Examples

Object

  • principle: The Masters also apply this Principle to the conquering of Natural phenomena in various ways.
  • pressure: A sweet attacking move from the restart saw South apply some early pressure by winning their first short corner of the match.
  • technique: In order to apply push hands techniques, it is important to train toward sensitivity.
  • mathematics: She/he should have a strong background in statistics, applied mathematics, and computer vision.
  • rule: Lots of worked examples help you to apply the rules correctly.
  • patch: The regularity of our software updates means you don't need to commit your own resources to researching announcements and applying the necessary patches.

Preposition: on

  • behalf: If you are applying on behalf of somebody else, please ensure that they are aware of them.

Adjective complement

  • online: In some cases you can apply online by clicking on a red, flashing How do I apply?
  • on-line: Can I apply on-line You can also apply on-line at by going back to the main Admissions page.

Used with why or when

  • where: Throughout the evidence in the present case we find the term ' hostages ' applied where a ' reprisal ' only was involved.
  • when: Most banks and building societies have income multiples that they apply when looking at how much you can borrow.

Infinitive complement

  • join: You do not need any savings to apply to join the scheme.
  • register: This is essential for administrative purposes but the institution can apply to register if they are not already registered.

Preposition: in

  • case: The Section applies in all cases where " foreign loan interest " is trading income.

Preposition: for

  • grant: Several Scottish institutions are already in the process of applying for grants.
  • job: I've applied for every junior physio job in Scotland, whether central belt or in rural areas.
  • license: The company was applying for a license for the first time.
  • funding: It also provides related contect such as guidance in applying for funding.
  • membership: Every socialist outside the party should now apply for membership.
  • loan: This keeps creditors really happy, and makes your credit report clean when applying for a home loan or other things.