tow

tow 1

 (tō)tr.v.towed,tow·ing,tows

To draw or pull behind by a chain or line: a tugboat towing a barge. See Synonyms at pull.

n.

1. The act or an instance of towing: Can you give my car a tow?

2.

a. Something, such as a tugboat, that tows.

b. Something, such as a barge or car, that is towed.

3. A rope or cable used in towing.

Idiom:in tow

1. In a condition of being towed: a car with a trailer in tow.

2. Under close guidance; in one’s charge: The new student was taken in tow by a peer counselor.

3. As a companion or follower: came to dinner with a friend in tow.

[Middle English towen, from Old English togian; see deuk- in Indo-European roots.]

tow′a·ble adj.

tow′er n.

tow 2

 (tō)n.

1. Coarse broken flax or hemp fiber.

2. A continuous untwisted bundle of manufactured fibers.

[Middle English, possibly from Old English tow-, spinning (in towcræft, spinning craft, spinning).]

tow

(təʊ)vb

(tr) to pull or drag (a vehicle, boat, etc), esp by means of a rope or cable

n

1. the act or an instance of towing

2. the state of being towed (esp in the phrases in tow, under tow, on tow)

3. something towed

4. something used for towing

5. in tow in one’s charge or under one’s influence

6. (Motor Racing) informal (in motor racing, etc) the act of taking advantage of the slipstream of another car (esp in the phrase get a tow)

7. (Skiing) short for ski tow

[Old English togian; related to Old Frisian togia, Old Norse toga, Old High German zogōn]

ˈtowable adj

tow

(təʊ)n

1. (Textiles) the fibres of hemp, flax, jute, etc, in the scutched state

2. (Textiles) synthetic fibres preparatory to spinning

3. (Textiles) the coarser fibres discarded after combing

[Old English tōw; related to Old Saxon tou, Old Norse tō tuft of wool, Dutch touwen to spin]

ˈtowy adj

tow1

(toʊ)

v.t.

1. to pull or haul (a car, barge, trailer, etc.) by a rope, chain, or other device.

n.

2. an act or instance of towing.

3. something being towed.

4. something, as a boat or truck, that tows.

5. a rope, chain, metal bar, or other device for towing.

6. ski tow.

Idioms:1.in tow,

a. in the state of being towed.

b. under one’s guidance; in one’s charge.

c. as a follower, admirer, or companion.

2. under tow, in the condition of being towed; in tow.

[before 1000; Middle English; Old English togian to drag, c. Old Frisian togia, Old High German zogōn, Old Norse toga; akin to tug]

tow2

(toʊ)

n.

1. the fiber of flax, hemp, or jute prepared for spinning by scutching.

2.

a. the shorter, less desirable fibers of flax, hemp, or jute separated in scutching and used for twine, yarn, etc.

b. yarn or fabric made from this.

[1350–1400; Middle English; Old English tōw- (in tōwlīc pertaining to thread, tōwhūs spinning house); akin to Old Saxon tou, Old Norse tō tow, wool]

Tow

 a string of barges being towed, 1805.

tow

Past participle:towed
Gerund:towing

ImperativePresentPreteritePresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPast ContinuousPast PerfectFutureFuture PerfectFuture ContinuousPresent Perfect ContinuousFuture Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect ContinuousConditionalPast Conditional

Imperative
tow
tow

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