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

In 2024, the 35-year-old placed 144 Amazon orders for everything from a flimsy hand towel holder to a multicolored pack of eight Apple watch bands that she had to cut to fit her wrist.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But Carpenter’s towel reveals, set changes and winks won’t look exactly the same.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

After serving out the next game to love - and hitting an ace on the final point - Sabalenka hunched over next to her coach, hid her face in a towel, and cried.

Read more on BBC

Applying a wet towel to the ball was commonplace, but plenty went beyond that.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The average gold timer quickly threw in the towel when gold prices fell.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

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