Phrasal verb
plough into
Definition
phrasal verb. to crash into something with a lot of force, especially when a vehicle is moving fast and cannot stop.
phrasal verb. To collide with a person or object with significant force, often implying an inability to stop. This transitive phrasal verb requires a direct object representing the entity struck.
Examples
“The bus lost control and ploughed into a row of parked cars.”
“After the brakes failed on the steep hill, the heavy truck ploughed into the side of a small café, luckily while it was closed.”
“The vessel, caught in a violent gale, ploughed into the jagged rocks of the coastline, splintering its wooden hull almost instantly upon impact.”
Examples
simple
“The bus lost control and ploughed into a row of parked cars.”
contextual
“After the brakes failed on the steep hill, the heavy truck ploughed into the side of a small café, luckily while it was closed.”
complex
“The vessel, caught in a violent gale, ploughed into the jagged rocks of the coastline, splintering its wooden hull almost instantly upon impact.”
Usage
This phrase is transitive and always requires an object to show what was hit.
Teaching tip
Point out the spelling difference between British 'plough' and American 'plow', and note that it implies a heavy, unstoppable momentum compared to 'crash into'.
Pitfall
The car ploughed in the wall.
The car ploughed into the wall.
The preposition 'into' is necessary to show the direction and impact of the collision.
Phrasal verb
Particles
into
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
plough + into + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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