The word must have originally referred to the wheeled heavy plough, common in Roman north-western Europe by the 5th century AD. 18, 172), and in Latin plaustrum 'farm cart', plЕЌstrum, plЕЌstellum 'cart', and plЕЌxenum, plЕЌximum 'cart box'.

Words with the same root appeared with related meanings: in Raetic plaumorati 'wheeled heavy plough' ( Pliny, Nat. In many Slavic languages and in Romanian the word is 'plug'. The German cognate is 'Pflug', the Dutch 'ploeg' and the Swedish 'plog'. The modern word comes from the Old Norse plГіgr, and is therefore Germanic, but it appears relatively late (it is not attested in Gothic), and is thought to be a loan from one of the north Italic languages. The term plough, as used in the early 21st century, was not common until 1700. Old English sulh (modern dialectal sullow), Old High German medela, geiza, huohilД«(n), Old Norse arГ°r ( Swedish ГҐrder), and Gothic hЕЌha, all presumably referring to the ard (scratch plough). In older English, as in other Germanic languages, the plough was traditionally known by other names, e.g. Used instead is shallower ploughing or other less-invasive conservation tillage. Use of the traditional plough has decreased in some areas threatened by soil damage and erosion. These in turn were superseded by internal-combustion-powered tractors in the early 20th century. With the industrial revolution came the possibility of steam engines to pull ploughs. Later, horses and mules were used in many areas. Ploughs were initially powered by humans, but the use of farm animals was considerably more efficient. Ploughing and cultivating soil evens the content of the upper 12 to 25 centimetres (5 to 10В in) layer of soil, where most plant-feeder roots grow. In modern use, a ploughed field is normally left to dry and then harrowed before planting. Trenches cut by the plough are called furrows. The prime purpose of ploughing is to turn over the uppermost soil, bringing fresh nutrients to the surface while burying weeds and crop remains to decay. Celtic peoples first came to use wheeled ploughs in the Roman era. The earliest ploughs had no wheels such a plough was known to the Romans as an aratrum. It has been fundamental to farming for most of history. A plough may have a wooden, iron or steel frame, with a blade attached to cut and loosen the soil. Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses, but in modern farms are drawn by tractors. Traditional ploughing: a farmer works the land with horses and ploughДЄ plough or plow ( US both / p l aКЉ/) is a farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting.

A tractor pulls it crossword