tow

¹

[toh]

verb (used with object)

1. to pull or haul (a car, barge, trailer, etc.) by a rope, chain, or other device.

   The car was towed to the service station.

   Synonyms: tug, draw, trail

noun

1. an act or instance of towing.

2. something being towed.

3. something, as a boat or truck, that tows.

4. a rope, chain, metal bar, or other device for towing.

   The trailer is secured to the car by a metal tow.

5. ski tow.

tow

²

[toh]

noun

1. the fiber of flax, hemp, or jute prepared for spinning by beating.

2. the shorter, less desirable flax fibers separated from line fibers in combing.

3. synthetic filaments prior to spinning.

adjective

1. made of tow.

tow

³

[toh]

noun

Scot.

1. a rope.

TOW

⁴

[toh]

noun

Military.

1. a U.S. Army antitank missile, steered to its target by two thin wires connected to a computerized launcher, which is mounted on a vehicle or helicopter.

tow

¹

/ təʊ /

verb

1. (tr) to pull or drag (a vehicle, boat, etc), esp by means of a rope or cable

noun

1. the act or an instance of towing

2. the state of being towed (esp in the phrases in tow, under tow, on tow )

3. something towed

4. something used for towing

5. in one's charge or under one's influence

6. informal,  (in motor racing, etc) the act of taking advantage of the slipstream of another car (esp in the phrase get a tow )

7. short for ski tow

tow

²

/ təʊ /

noun

1. the fibres of hemp, flax, jute, etc, in the scutched state

2. synthetic fibres preparatory to spinning

3. the coarser fibres discarded after combing

Other Word Forms

• towable adjective
• towy adjective
• towability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tow¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb touen, towe, Old English togian “to pull by force, drag, pull”; cognate with Middle High German zogen, German ziehen “to draw, tug, drag”; the noun is derivative of the verb; tug

Origin of tow²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tou, tow(e), tough “unworked flax,” Old English tōw- (in tōwlīc “pertaining to weaving,” tōwhūs “spinning house”); akin to Old Norse tō “wool”

Origin of tow³

First recorded in 1500–20; late Middle English (Scots); Old English toh- (in tohlīne “towline”); cognate with Old Norse tog “rope, line, towline”; tow ¹

Origin of tow⁴

First recorded in 1970–75; abbreviation of t(ube-launched), o(ptically-guided), w(ire-tracked missile)

Word History and Origins

Origin of tow¹

Old English togian; related to Old Frisian togia, Old Norse toga, Old High German zogōn

Origin of tow²

Old English tōw; related to Old Saxon tou, Old Norse tō tuft of wool, Dutch touwen to spin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in tow,

   1. in the state of being towed.

   2. under one's guidance; in one's charge.

   3. as a follower, admirer, or companion.

      a professor who always had a graduate student in tow.

2. under tow, in the condition of being towed; in tow.

see in tow.

Example Sentences

I moved across the country, with a new baby in tow, and joined the buy side all at the same time.

Read more on Barron's

With Palestinians expressing confusion about the exact location of the line, the IDF has put out a video showing bulldozers towing yellow blocks into place to mark it out.

Read more on BBC

The demonstration was the largest in a decade in the continental US, the Marines said, and involved fighter jets, Navy vessels, helicopters and live fire from a towed howitzer.

Read more on BBC

Los Angeles police soon raided the posh Hollywood Hills mansion where the singer was living, just blocks from where his Tesla had been towed.

Read more on BBC

A historic Clydebuilt sailing ship has been towed out to sea off the coast of Hawaii and deliberately sunk, prompting outrage from maritime conservation groups.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• drag 
• ferry 
• haul 
• lug 
• tug