put one's hand to the plough

verb

To begin an undertaking.

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Meanings

verbput one's hand to the plough (third-person singular simple present puts one's hand to the plough, present participle putting one's hand to the plough, simple past and past participle put one's hand to the plough)

present singular third person puts one's hand to the plough · participle present putting one's hand to the plough

  1. idiomaticTo begin an undertaking.

Origin

From the King James translation of Luke 9:62 (“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish ryhtyä hommiin, tarttua auraan
  • ryhtyä hommiinbegin an undertaking
  • tarttua auraanbegin an undertaking
Welsh rhoi llaw ar yr aradr
  • rhoi llaw ar yr aradrbegin an undertaking
Cite this entry
APA

put one's hand to the plough. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20one's%20hand%20to%20the%20plough

MLA

“put one's hand to the plough.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20one's%20hand%20to%20the%20plough. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “put one's hand to the plough,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20one's%20hand%20to%20the%20plough.

Source: put one's hand to the plough on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.