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"
ask (for something)
"He applied for a leave of absence"
"She applied for college"
"apply for a job"
be applicable to; as to an analysis
"This theory lends itself well to our new data"
To lay or place; to put (one thing to another)
"She carefully applied a layer of gold leaf to the wooden frame before sealing it."
In plain English: To apply means to put something onto a surface or to try out for a job or school spot.
"Please apply for the job before the deadline."
Usage: Use "apply" when you physically place something onto a surface, such as applying cream to skin or paint to a wall. Avoid using it to mean "to use" in abstract contexts like applying knowledge unless specifically referring to putting that knowledge into practice.
Alternative spelling of appley
"The old farmer kept his weathered hat under a tree to keep it from getting sunbleached and apply, like an apple that had been left in the heat."
"The application fee for the job is quite high."
Usage: Do not use "apply" as an adjective because it is a verb; instead, use the correct spelling "appley" if you intend to describe something that tastes like apples or resembles them. The word "apply" should only be used in its standard verbal forms such as apply to someone or apply for a job.
The word "apply" comes from the Middle English aplien and Old French applier, which were borrowed from the Latin applicō meaning "to join, fix, or attach." This original sense of fastening something to a surface evolved into its modern usage in English.