tug
to pull at with force, vigor, or effort.
to move by pulling forcibly; drag; haul.
to tow (a vessel) by means of a tugboat.
to pull with force or effort: to tug at a stuck drawer.
to strive hard; labor; toil.
an act or instance of tugging; pull; haul.
a strenuous contest between opposing forces, groups, or persons; struggle: the tug of young minds in a seminar.
that by which something is tugged, as a rope or chain.
(on a harness)
any of various supporting or pulling parts.
Origin of tug
1Other words for tug
Other words from tug
- tugger, noun
- tugless, adjective
- un·tugged, adjective
Words Nearby tug
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use tug in a sentence
The backward tug of this material’s gravity then causes the cluster to plunge closer and closer to the galactic center.
The Milky Way’s most massive star cluster may have eaten a smaller cluster | Ken Croswell | September 29, 2020 | Science NewsFor designers, though, possibly the most intriguing aspect of the Tik Tok tug-of-war is the report, first floated in the New York Times, that the leading candidate for CEO of the restructured entity is Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom.
How would Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom redesign TikTok as CEO? | claychandler | September 22, 2020 | FortuneFoundational theories of morality have been locked in a perennial tug of war.
The Universe Knows Right from Wrong - Issue 89: The Dark Side | Philip Goff | September 9, 2020 | NautilusFoundational theories of morality have been locked in a perennial tug of war between the supernaturalism of Plato and the naturalism of his opponents.
The Universe Knows Right from Wrong - Issue 89: The Dark Side | Philip Goff | September 9, 2020 | NautilusEach star tends to keep the disk aligned with itself, and the tug-of-war warped and sheared the disk, and twisted the inner ring even further.
A weirdly warped planet-forming disk circles a distant trio of stars | Lisa Grossman | September 3, 2020 | Science News
These men and women will no doubt cause a tug a war in time.
The White House has been mediating the tug of war between the CIA and the committee over the redaction process.
You're About to See What Obama Calls 'Torture' | Josh Rogin, Eli Lake | August 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut since then it has been subject to a tug of war with the CIA.
After this Euro-Russian tug of war, the sparks ignited in Kiev and Moscow.
Throughout the day, you would overhear chit-chat about the ongoing tug-of-war between libertarians and social conservatives.
He was given no reply save a muttered curse, a command to hold his tongue, and an angry tug at his tied arms.
The Red Year | Louis TracyIn fact, the true tug only begins when we try to carry the second line and the flanking machine guns.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I | Ian HamiltonOn this occasion, however, the tug appeared somewhat late on the scene, and hailed the Gull.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands | R.M. BallantyneThe drama, as far as the Gull-Light was concerned, ended that night with the disappearance of the tug and lifeboat.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands | R.M. Ballantynetug service for sailing ships or vessels without motive power is at the rate of $15 per hour.
The Wonder Book of Knowledge | Various
British Dictionary definitions for tug
/ (tʌɡ) /
(when intr, sometimes foll by at) to pull or drag with sharp or powerful movements: the boy tugged at the door handle
(tr) to tow (a vessel) by means of a tug
(intr) to work; toil
a strong pull or jerk: he gave the rope a tug
Also called: tugboat, towboat a boat with a powerful engine, used for towing barges, ships, etc
a hard struggle or fight
a less common word for trace 2 (def. 1)
Origin of tug
1Derived forms of tug
- tugger, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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