tugboat

[tuhg-boht]

noun

1. a small, powerful boat for towing or pushing ships, barges, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tugboat¹

An Americanism dating back to 1820–30; tug + boat

Example Sentences

The Los Angeles electric boat company Arc has plans to open a research and development facility at the Port of Los Angeles, where it will work on battery-powered tugboats.

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Replacing the roughly 2,000 tugboats in the U.S. with electric alternatives could prevent more than 1.6 million cars’ worth of greenhouse gas emissions annually, according to Arc.

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The Maltese government said a tugboat was sent to the scene to extinguish the fire, which they say was under control by 01:28 local time.

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Yet incredibly, sealing the ends watertight and fitting them with ballast tanks, gives enough buoyancy to tow them behind tugboats.

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Three tugboats took control of the "stricken vessel" that is "unable to manoeuvre".

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