2 → see also bedding plant , pot plant , rubber plant
3 VERB When you plant a seed, plant, or young tree, you put it into the ground so that it will grow there. □ [V n] He says he plans to plant fruit trees and vegetables. ● plant|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ Extensive flooding in the country has delayed planting and many crops are still under water.
4 VERB When someone plants land with a particular type of plant or crop, they put plants, seeds, or young trees into the land to grow them there. □ [V n + with ] They plan to plant the area with grass and trees. □ [V n] Recently much of their energy has gone into planting a large vegetable garden. □ [V -ed] …newly planted fields.
5 N‑COUNT A plant is a factory or a place where power is produced. □ …Ford's British car assembly plants. □ The plant provides forty per cent of the country's electricity.
6 N‑UNCOUNT Plant is large machinery that is used in industrial processes. □ …investment in plant and equipment.
7 VERB If you plant something somewhere, you put it there firmly. □ [V n adv/prep] She planted her feet wide and bent her knees slightly. □ [V -ed adv/prep] …with his enormous feet planted heavily apart.
8 VERB To plant something such as a bomb means to hide it somewhere so that it explodes or works there. □ [V n] So far no one has admitted planting the bomb.
9 VERB [oft passive] If something such as a weapon or drugs is planted on someone, it is put among their possessions or in their house so that they will be wrongly accused of a crime. □ [be V -ed] He claimed that the evidence had been planted to incriminate him.
10 VERB If an organization plants someone somewhere, they send that person there so that they can get information or watch someone secretly. □ [V n] Journalists informed police, who planted an undercover detective to trap their target.
▸ plant out PHRASAL VERB When you plant out young plants, you plant them in the ground in the place where they are to be left to grow. □ [V P n] Plant out the spring cabbage whenever opportunities arise. [Also V n P ] SYNONYMS plant VERB 3
sow: Sow the seed in a warm place in February/March.
scatter: He began by scattering seed and putting in plants.
transplant: Farmers will be able to seed it directly, rather than having to transplant seedlings.
plan|tain /plæ nt I n/ (plantains )
1 N‑VAR A plantain is a type of green banana which can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable.
2 N‑VAR A plantain is a wild plant with broad leaves and a head of tiny green flowers on a long stem.
plan|ta|tion /plɑːnte I ʃ ə n, plæn-/ (plantations )
1 N‑COUNT A plantation is a large piece of land, especially in a tropical country, where crops such as rubber, coffee, tea, or sugar are grown. □ …banana plantations in Costa Rica.
2 N‑COUNT A plantation is a large number of trees that have been planted together. □ [+ of ] …a plantation of almond trees.
plant|er /plɑː ntə r , plæn-/ (planters )
1 N‑COUNT Planters are people who own or manage plantations in tropical countries.
2 N‑COUNT A planter is a container for plants that people keep in their homes.
pla nt pot (plant pots ) N‑COUNT A plant pot is a container that is used for growing plants. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, usually use pot , planter
plaque /plæ k, plɑː k/ (plaques )
1 N‑COUNT A plaque is a flat piece of metal or stone with writing on it which is fixed to a wall or other structure to remind people of an important person or event. □ After touring the hospital, the princess unveiled a commemorative plaque.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Plaque is a substance containing bacteria that forms on the surface of your teeth. □ Deposits of plaque build up between the tooth and the gum.
plas|ma /plæ zmə/ N‑UNCOUNT Plasma is the clear liquid part of blood which contains the blood cells.
pla s|ma screen (plasma screens ) N‑COUNT A plasma screen is a type of thin television screen or computer screen that produces high-quality images.
plas|ter /plɑː stə r , plæ s-/ (plasters , plastering , plastered )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Plaster is a smooth paste made of sand, lime, and water which goes hard when it dries. Plaster is used to cover walls and ceilings and is also used to make sculptures. □ There were huge cracks in the plaster, and the green shutters were faded.
2 VERB If you plaster a wall or ceiling, you cover it with a layer of plaster. □ [V n] The ceiling he had just plastered fell in and knocked him off his ladder.
3 VERB If you plaster a surface or a place with posters or pictures, you stick a lot of them all over it. □ [V n + with ] They plastered the city with posters condemning her election. □ [be V -ed + with ] His room is plastered with pictures of Porsches and Ferraris.
4 VERB If you plaster yourself in some kind of sticky substance, you cover yourself in it. □ [V pron-refl + in ] She plastered herself from head to toe in high-factor sun lotion.
5 N‑COUNT A plaster is a strip of sticky material used for covering small cuts or sores on your body. [BRIT ] in AM, usually use Band-Aid 6 → see also plastered
7 PHRASE If you have a leg or arm in plaster , you have a cover made of plaster of Paris around your leg or arm, in order to protect a broken bone and allow it to mend. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, use in a cast