plow under
Turn into earth
Plow under means to bury something by turning soil over it with a plow.
Farmers plow under crop residue, cover crops, or failed harvests to return organic matter to the soil.
The phrase extends figuratively to mean overwhelm or destroy completely: Small businesses were plowed under by the recession.
When something gets plowed under, it disappears beneath the surface, whether that surface is literal earth or metaphorical forces beyond one's control.
- buryPlace beneath soil
- subsumingAbsorbing into something larger
- turnoverSales volume or attrition
- tillRegister drawer for money
- assimilatingAbsorbing into a whole
mulch · overshadowing · cover crop · green manure · soil amendment · suppressing · sweep aside · push aside · eradicating · stamp out · wipe out · interring · submerging · annihilate · plough · furrow · plough into · obliterate