towel

[ tou-uh l, toul ]

/ ˈtaʊ əl, taʊl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR towel ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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), tow·eled, tow·el·ing or (especially British) tow·elled, tow·el·ling.

to wipe or dry with a towel.

Nearby words

Idioms

throw in the towel, Informal. to concede defeat; give up; yield: He vowed he would never throw in the towel.

Origin of towel

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for towel

“They would bend my head back, put a towel over my face and pour water over the towel,” Harrison was quoted as saying.
The Luxury Homes That Torture and Your Tax Dollars Built|Michael Daly|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Inside the bag, a second body was naked, wrapped in a towel, and almost decapitated.
Hong Kong’s High-Flying British Psycho Killer Suspect|Nico Hines, Tom Sykes|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The cyclist had turned the heads of the women in the dorm on his way back from the showers, wearing just a towel.
When I Met Robin Williams in Afghanistan|Matthew Kaminski|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A naked dancer held a towel around his waist as he slicks back his hair in the ladies toilets.
Inside London's Underground Burlesque and Fetish Scene|Liza Foreman|August 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“You are always guaranteed to see Ernesto whip off his towel in the name of performance art,” Milazzo said.
Inside London's Underground Burlesque and Fetish Scene|Liza Foreman|August 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He not only bore the basin of warm water but a towel as well.
The Banner Boy Scouts Snowbound|George A. Warren
He brought a towel back with him and staunched the flow of blood from the leg with a clumsily fashioned bandage.
Across the Mesa|Jarvis Hall
Noel had got brown-paper boots too, and a Turkish towel cloak.
The Wouldbegoods|E. Nesbit
The towel may hang over the extending end of the cleat, and you can make a small bark dish for the soap.
On the Trail|Lina Beard and Adelia Belle Beard
On his head was something resembling a Turkish towel twisted into a large knot.
Hour of Enchantment|Roy J. Snell

British Dictionary definitions for towel

towel

/ (ˈtaʊəl) /

noun

a square or rectangular piece of absorbent cloth or paper used for drying the body

a similar piece of cloth used for drying plates, cutlery, etc

throw in the towel See throw in (def. 4)

verb -els, -elling or -elled or US -els, -eling or -eled (tr)

to dry or wipe with a towel

(often foll by up) Australian slang to assault or beat (a person)

Word Origin for towel

C13: from Old French toaille, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German dwahal bath, Old Saxon twahila towel, Gothic thwahan to wash

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

Word Origin and History for towel

towel

late 13c., from Old French toaille (12c.), from Frankish *thwahlja, from Proto-Germanic *thwakhlijon (cf. Old Saxon thwahila, Middle Dutch dwale "towel," Dutch dwaal "altar cloth," Old High German dwehila "towel," German dialectal Zwehle "napkin"); related to German zwagen, Old English þwean "to wash." Spanish toalla, Italian tovaglia are Germanic loan-words.

towel

1836, from towel (n.). Related: Towelled; towelling.

Idioms and Phrases with towel

towel

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

towel

noun

verb (used with object), tow·eled, tow·el·ing or (especially British) tow·elled, tow·el·ling.

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of towel

Examples from the Web for towel

towel

noun

verb -els, -elling or -elled or US -els, -eling or -eled (tr)

Word Origin for towel

towel

towel

towel