Definition of TOW

tow

Plural: tows

Noun

  • the act of hauling something (as a vehicle) by means of a hitch or rope
    • "the truck gave him a tow to the garage"
  • The act of towing and the condition of being towed.
  • Something, such as a tugboat, that tows.
  • Something, such as a barge, that is towed.
  • A rope or cable used in towing.
  • A speed increase given by driving in front of another car on a straight, which causes a slipstream for the car behind.
  • An untwisted bundle of fibres such as cellulose acetate, flax, hemp or jute.
  • The short, coarse, less desirable fibres separated by hackling from the finer longer fibres (line).

Verb

Verb Forms: towed, towing, tows

  • To pull a vehicle or boat by means of a rope or chain.
  • drag behind
    • "Horses used to tow barges along the canal"
  • To pull something behind one, such as by using a line, chain, or tongue.
  • To aid someone behind by shielding them from wind resistance.

Examples

  • He tried to TOW his opponent into a trap, hoping they’d miss a key defensive play.
  • It isn't the car's battery; I think I need a tow.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English towen, from Old English togian, from Proto-West Germanic *togōn, from Proto-Germanic *tugōną, from Proto-Indo-European *dewk-.
See also Middle High German zogen, German ziehen, Dutch tijgen, Old Norse toga.

Synonyms

towage, hards, oakum

Scrabble Score: 6

tow: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
tow: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
tow: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 6

tow: valid Words With Friends Word