taws
Americannoun
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taws
plural
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a whip or leather thong used to drive a spinning top.
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a leather whip having its tip divided into smaller strips, used to punish schoolchildren.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of taws
1505–15; plural of obsolete taw < Old Norse taug rope; cognate with Old English tēag tie
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To prevent the loss of taws one of us was sent ahead to watch for their coming and listen for the faint thud of their fall, while the other three drove from the tee.
From The Complete Golfer by Harry Vardon
He is the most stupid of all my mother's children: he knows nothing of his book: when he should mind that, he is hiding or hoarding his taws and marbles, or laying up farthings.
From The Tatler, Volume 1, 1899 by George A. Aitken
From that moment he ruled them by his eye, the taws vanished.
From Spare Hours by John Brown
He re-seated her, and taking the taws from her trembling hand, carried it himself to the tyrant.
From Alec Forbes of Howglen by George MacDonald
And you may helpe them much by enlarging their rootes with the taws of the tree, whence you take them.
From A New Orchard And Garden or, The best way for planting, grafting, and to make any ground good, for a rich Orchard: Particularly in the North and generally for the whole kingdome of England by William Lawson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
