Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb apply

10 senses of apply

Sense 1
use, utilize, utilise, apply, employ -- (put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't use this tool"; "Apply a magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer")

Sense 2
apply, hold, go for -- (be pertinent or relevant or applicable; "The same laws apply to you!"; "This theory holds for all irrational numbers"; "The same rules go for everyone")
       => refer, pertain, relate, concern, come to, bear on, touch, touch on, have-to doe with -- (be relevant to; "There were lots of questions referring to her talk"; "My remark pertained to your earlier comments")

Sense 3
apply -- (ask (for something); "He applied for a leave of absence"; "She applied for college"; "apply for a job")
       => request, bespeak, call for, quest -- (express the need or desire for; ask for; "She requested an extra bed in her room"; "She called for room service")

Sense 4
put on, apply -- (apply to a surface; "She applied paint to the back of the house"; "Put on make-up!")
       => cover -- (provide with a covering or cause to be covered; "cover her face with a handkerchief"; "cover the child with a blanket"; "cover the grave with flowers")

Sense 5
lend oneself, apply -- (be applicable to; as to an analysis; "This theory lends itself well to our new data")

Sense 6
give, apply -- (give or convey physically; "She gave him First Aid"; "I gave him a punch in the nose")
       => distribute, administer, mete out, deal, parcel out, lot, dispense, shell out, deal out, dish out, allot, dole out -- (administer or bestow, as in small portions; "administer critical remarks to everyone present"; "dole out some money"; "shell out pocket money for the children"; "deal a blow to someone"; "the machine dispenses soft drinks")

Sense 7
practice, apply, use -- (avail oneself to; "apply a principle"; "practice a religion"; "use care when going down the stairs"; "use your common sense"; "practice non-violent resistance")

Sense 8
enforce, implement, apply -- (ensure observance of laws and rules; "Apply the rules to everyone";)
       => compel, oblige, obligate -- (force somebody to do something; "We compel all students to fill out this form")

Sense 9
apply -- (refer (a word or name) to a person or thing; "He applied this racial slur to me!")
       => denote, refer -- (have as a meaning; "`multi-' denotes `many' ")

Sense 10
apply -- (apply oneself to; "Please apply yourself to your homework")
       => give, dedicate, consecrate, commit, devote -- (give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause; "She committed herself to the work of God"; "give one's talents to a good cause"; "consecrate your life to the church")