put one's hand to the plough
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To begin an undertaking.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “put one's hand to the plough” mean?
To begin an undertaking.
Is “put one's hand to the plough” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.