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)

toweled, toweling , towelled, towelling .

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

verb

1. to dry or wipe with a towel

2. slang,  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, to concede defeat; give up; yield.

   He vowed he would never throw in the towel.

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

Example Sentences

Parentez said Martinez drove herself to a nearby auto shop, where employees used shop towels to stanch her wounds until paramedics arrived.

From Salon

I swam back to deeper waters and followed the buoys back to my towel.

From Los Angeles Times

Other charities have also told us they have had to feed hungry children from asylum hotels, and say they have seen women who claimed they had been given only seven sanitary towels per period.

From BBC

Pullman moved a nearby tea towel to reveal half a dozen custard creams.

From BBC

Some of the detainees told lawmakers they were held inside Adelanto for 10 days without a change of clothes, underwear or towels, Chu said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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