tow

See also: Tow and tow-

English

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) enPR: tō, IPA(key): /təʊ/
  • (US) enPR: tō, IPA(key): /toʊ/
  • (UK, rare) enPR: tou, IPA(key): /taʊ/, etymology 2 only
  • Rhymes: -əʊ
  • Homophone: toe

Etymology 1

From Middle English towen, from Old English togian, from Proto-Germanic *tugōną (Middle High German zogen, German ziehen, Dutch tijgen, Old Norse toga), from Proto-Indo-European *dewk-.

Verb

tow (third-person singular simple present tows, present participle towing, simple past and past participle towed)

  1. (transitive) To pull something behind one using a line or chain; to haul.
  2. (running, cycling etc.) To aid someone behind by shielding them from wind resistance.
Translations

Noun

tow (plural tows)

  1. The act of towing and the condition of being towed.
    It isn't the car's battery; I think I need a tow.
  2. Something, such as a tugboat, that tows.
  3. Something, such as a barge, that is towed.
  4. A rope or cable used in towing.
Translations
Derived terms

Etymology 2

From Middle English tow, from Old English tow- (“spinning”) (in compounds, e.g. towcræft, towhūs, towlic); compare Old Norse tó (“uncleansed wool”), Middle Low German touw. Perhaps cognate with Old English tawian (“prepare for use”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌿𐌾𐌰𐌽 (taujan, “do, make”)[1].

Noun

tow (countable and uncountable, plural tows)

  1. An untwisted bundle of fibers such as cellulose acetate, flax, hemp or jute.
Derived terms

Synonyms

Translations

References

  1. ↑ “tow” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2018.

Anagrams

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English tow-; for more see English tow.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tɔu̯/
  • Rhymes: -ɔu̯

Noun

tow

  1. Unprepared flax, especially used as a firestarter.
  2. The fibrous matter of flax or a similar plant; (tow).
  3. Oakum, hards; the rough portion of flax separated during hackling.

Descendants

References

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