tow

¹

[toh]

verb (used with object)

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

   The car was towed to the service station.

   Synonyms: tug, draw, trail

noun

1. an act or instance of towing.

2. something being towed.

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

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

   The trailer is secured to the car by a metal tow.

5. ski tow.

tow

²

[toh]

noun

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

2. the shorter, less desirable flax fibers separated from line fibers in combing.

3. synthetic filaments prior to spinning.

adjective

1. made of tow.

tow

³

[toh]

noun

Scot.

1. a rope.

TOW

⁴

[toh]

noun

Military.

1. a U.S. Army antitank missile, steered to its target by two thin wires connected to a computerized launcher, which is mounted on a vehicle or helicopter.

tow

¹

/ təʊ /

verb

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

noun

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 one's charge or under one's influence

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

7. short for ski tow

tow

²

/ təʊ /

noun

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

2. synthetic fibres preparatory to spinning

3. the coarser fibres discarded after combing

Other Word Forms

• towable adjective
• towability noun
• towy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tow¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb touen, towe, Old English togian “to pull by force, drag, pull”; cognate with Middle High German zogen, German ziehen “to draw, tug, drag”; the noun is derivative of the verb; tug

Origin of tow²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tou, tow(e), tough “unworked flax,” Old English tōw- (in tōwlīc “pertaining to weaving,” tōwhūs “spinning house”); akin to Old Norse tō “wool”

Origin of tow³

First recorded in 1500–20; late Middle English (Scots); Old English toh- (in tohlīne “towline”); cognate with Old Norse tog “rope, line, towline”; tow ¹

Origin of tow⁴

First recorded in 1970–75; abbreviation of t(ube-launched), o(ptically-guided), w(ire-tracked missile)

Word History and Origins

Origin of tow¹

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

Origin of tow²

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in tow,

   1. in the state of being towed.

   2. under one's guidance; in one's charge.

   3. as a follower, admirer, or companion.

      a professor who always had a graduate student in tow.

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

see in tow.

Example Sentences

She said a tow truck driver had also towed a government vehicle that was involved in Martinez’s arrest.

From Los Angeles Times

When we arrived, we saw the car being towed away by a man who gave us a number for someone who he said knew the arrested men.

From BBC

But when Oliver walks into the store, entourage in tow, Matthew makes a play to ingratiate himself with the pop star that goes better than he ever could’ve expected.

From Salon

This, he said, would make it easier to carry out traffic enforcement actions on parked caravans that are not attached to a towing vehicle.

From BBC

Cavanaugh tried to enter again a little later, this time with two FBI agents in tow.

From Salon

Related Words

• drag 
• ferry 
• haul 
• lug 
• tug