towel

[ tou-uhl, toul ]

noun

1. an absorbent cloth or paper for wiping and drying something wet, as one for the hands, face, or body after washing or bathing.

verb (used with object)

, tow·eled, tow·el·ing or (especially British) tow·elled, tow·el·ling.

1. to wipe or dry with a towel.

towel

/ ˈtaʊəl /

noun

1. a square or rectangular piece of absorbent cloth or paper used for drying the body
2. a similar piece of cloth used for drying plates, cutlery, etc
3. See throw in
   throw in the towel
   throw in the towel See throw in

verb

1. to dry or wipe with a towel
2. slang.
   often foll byup to assault or beat (a person)

Word History and Origins

Origin of towel¹

1250–1300; Middle English (noun) < Old French toaille cloth for washing or wiping < West Germanic *thwahliō (> Old High German dwahilla, akin to dwahal bath); cognate with Gothic thwahl, thwēal washing

Word History and Origins

Origin of towel¹

C13: from Old French toaille, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German dwahal bath, Old Saxon twahila towel, Gothic thwahan to wash

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. throw in the towel, Informal. to concede defeat; give up; yield:

   He vowed he would never throw in the towel.

More idioms and phrases containing towel

see crying towel ; throw in the sponge (towel) .

Example Sentences

Keep moving the paper towels to absorb the stain on each area.

From Washington Post

If the kids still don’t get on board, she suggests putting a basket where they toss the towels, or even establishing consequences or rewards.

From Washington Post

I actually threw in the towel in November, ordering and paying for my bike then.

From Fortune

Next time I go to clean, I take the paper towels off and just wipe off.

From Washington Post

Thoroughly pat the meat dry with paper towels and generously season it with salt and pepper.

From Washington Post

Using a heatproof slotted spoon, remove the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate.

From The Daily Beast

Allow beans to cool completely then remove to a paper towel-lined plate to dry.

From The Daily Beast

“They would bend my head back, put a towel over my face and pour water over the towel,” Harrison was quoted as saying.

From The Daily Beast

Place the stack of phyllo dough sheets on a cutting board and cover it with a slightly damp towel.

From The Daily Beast

Inside the bag, a second body was naked, wrapped in a towel, and almost decapitated.

From The Daily Beast

"Come and get a clean towel," said Jess, who noticed that Benny was already "picking into" his own mouth.

From Project Gutenberg

The berries were so thick she did not have to change her position before the towel held over a quart.

From Project Gutenberg

She watched the two children a moment as they dropped handfuls of the bluish globes on the towel.

From Project Gutenberg

It was reserved for me to open the towel, which I did with no little pride at having the only plum pudding in camp.

From Project Gutenberg

I had buttered the towel so that it should not stick to it; it did not, but it did not stick together either.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bake
• blot
• deplete
• drain
• empty
• evaporate
• exhaust
• sear
• shrivel
• wilt
• wipe
• wither