plough back
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle back
Meanings
Reinvest profits into a business rather than taking them as income
Why “back”? A person, thing, message, or idea returns to an earlier place, person, or time.
“They ploughed profits back into research.”
“The studio ploughed earnings back into new cameras.”
Don't confuse with
Plough back means reinvest profits into a business rather than taking them as income. Plough down means knock something or someone down with great force, like a vehicle.
Test yourself
“They ploughed profits back into research.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
plough down
A contrast learners often mix up
Knock something or someone down with great force, like a vehicle
bring back
Same back pattern: return
Return with someone or something to the original place; Cause memories to return to the mind; Reintroduce a custom, law or product
call back
Same back pattern: return
Return a phone call; Try the phone call again; Recall a product because of a fault
come back
Same back pattern: return
Return to a place; Become popular or fashionable again; Be remembered after being forgotten
fly back
Same back pattern: return
Return by air
get back
Same back pattern: return
Return to a place; Reply to someone, often with information they asked for; Take revenge on someone; Receive something again that you had before
give back
Same back pattern: return
Return something to its owner; Make a contribution in return to a community or cause
go back
Same back pattern: return
Return to a place; (of a friendship or history) date from a particular time; Withdraw from a promise or agreement
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice “plough back” in Sink In
Drill “plough back” and 1,300+ other phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by the particle patterns that connect them.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
