tug

verb (tugs, tugging, tugged)

• 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

noun

• 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.

• 3a loop from a horse’s saddle which supports a shaft or trace.