Dictionary

apply

Etymology 1

From Middle English aplien, applien, from Old French applier, (French appliquer), from Latin applicō; from ad + plicō ("fold, twist together").

Pronunciation

IPA: /əˈplaɪ/

Verb

apply (applies, present participle applying; simple past and past participle applied)

(transitive) To lay or place; to put (one thing to another)
to apply cream to a rash
(transitive) To put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case
Synonyms: appropriate, devote, use
to apply funds to the repayment of a debt
(transitive) To make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relative
We need to apply the skills we’ve learned to solve this problem.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:
  Yet God at last To Satan, first in sin, his doom applied.
(transitive) To put closely; to join; to engage and employ diligently, or with attention
Synonyms: attach, incline
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Proverbs 23:12 ↗:
  Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
(reflexive) To work diligently and attentively.
(transitive) To address; to refer; generally used reflexively.
- 1725, Homer, “Book X”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume III, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC ↗:
  sacred vows […] applied to grisly Pluto
- 1854 August 8, Henry D[avid] Thoreau, “Economy”, in Walden; or, Life in the Woods, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC ↗:
  On applying to the assessors, I am surprised to learn that they cannot at once name a dozen in the town who own their farms free and clear.
(intransitive) To submit oneself as a candidate (with the adposition "to" designating the recipient of the submission, and the adposition "for" designating the position).
I recently applied to the tavern for a job as a bartender.
Most of the colleges she applied to were ones she thought she had a good chance of getting into.
Many of them don't know it, but almost a third of the inmates are eligible to apply for parole or work-release programs.
(intransitive) To pertain or be relevant to a specified individual or group.
That rule only applies to foreigners.
(obsolete) To busy; to keep at work; to ply.
- a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC ↗:
  She was no less skillful in applying his humours.
(obsolete) To visit.
- [1611?], Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC ↗; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume (please specify the book number), London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC ↗:
  His armour was so clear,
  And he applied each place so fast, that like a lightning thrown
  Out of the shield of Jupiter, in every eye he shone.
  The spelling has been modernized.