tow

views updated May 18 2018

tow¹ / tō/ • v. [tr.] (of a motor vehicle or boat) pull (another vehicle or boat) along with a rope, chain, or tow bar. ∎ (of a person) pull (someone or something) along behind one: she saw Frank towing Nicky along by the hand.• n. [in sing.] an act of towing a vehicle or boat. ∎ a rope or line used to tow a vehicle or boat.PHRASES: in tow1. being towed by another vehicle or boat: his boat was taken in tow by a trawler. 2. accompanying or following someone: trying to shop with three children in tow is no joke.DERIVATIVES: tow·a·ble adj.tow² • n. the coarse and broken part of flax or hemp prepared for spinning. ∎ a bundle of untwisted natural or man-made fibers.DERIVATIVES: tow·y adj.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

tow

views updated Jun 08 2018

tow2 † drag OE.; draw (a vessel) on the water by a rope XIV. OE. togian = MLG. togen, OHG. zogōn, ON. toga :- Gmc. *toʒōjan, f. *toʒ- *tuz- (cf. TEAM).
So towage charge for towing a vessel XVI; action of towing XVII. orig. — AN. towage, AL. towagium, f. ME. towe, toʒe tow.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

TOW

views updated May 11 2018

TOW / tō/ • abbr. tube-launched, optically guided, wire-guided (missile).

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

tow

views updated Jun 27 2018

tow1 fibre of flax, etc. XIV. — MLG. touw :- OS. tou = ON. tó wool, tow, rel, to OE. tow- in towcræft spinning, etc.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

tow

views updated May 17 2018

tow (toh) n. the teased-out short fibres of flax, hemp, or jute, used in swabs, stupes, and for a variety of other purposes.

A Dictionary of Nursing

TOW

views updated May 29 2018

TOW (təʊ) tube-launched optically tracked wire-guided (antitank missile)
• tug-of-war

The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH