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tug

Pronunciation: /tʌg/

Definition of tug

[with object]

pull (something) hard or suddenly:she tugged off her boots [no object]:he tugged at Tom’s coat sleeve
tow (a ship) by means of a tugboat: the ships were tugged off the reefs

1a hard or sudden pull:another tug and it came loose figurativean overwhelming tug of attraction

2 (also tugboat) a small, powerful boat used for towing larger boats and ships, especially in harbour.
an aircraft towing a glider.

Phrases

tug of love: British informal a dispute over the custody of a child: [as modifier]:tug-of-love battles between adoptive and real parents

Middle English: from the base of tow¹. The noun is first recorded (late Middle English) in sense 3 of the noun

Definition of tug in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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