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tow1

Pronunciation: /təʊ/
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Definition of tow

verb

[with object]
  • (of a motor vehicle or boat) pull (another vehicle or boat) along with a rope, chain, or tow bar: a pickup van towing a trailer a man called to tow the car away the authorities refused to allow the tanker to be towed into their ports
  • (of a person) pull along behind one:she saw Florian towing Nicky along by the hand

noun

[in singular]
  • an act of towing a vehicle or boat: the cruiser got a tow from a warship after its engine failed
  • a rope or line used to tow a vehicle or boat.

Phrases

in tow

  • 1 (also on tow) being towed by another vehicle or boat: his boat was taken in tow by a trawler the shallop remained on tow when the ships left for the mainland
  • 2accompanying or following someone:trying to shop with three children in tow is no joke

Derivatives

towable

adjective

Origin:

Old English togian 'draw, drag', of Germanic origin; related to tug. The noun dates from the early 17th century

The phrase is toe the line, not tow the line: see toe (usage).

tow in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of tow in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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