Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense tows, present participle towing, past tense, past participle towed
1. verb
If one vehicle tows another, it pulls it along behind it.
He had been using the vehicle to tow his work trailer. [VERB noun]
They threatened to tow away my car. [VERB noun with adverb]
A lifeboat towed the 28ft boat to a nearby quay. [VERB noun preposition]
Synonyms: drag, draw, pull, trail More Synonyms of tow
Tow is also a noun.
I can give you a tow if you want.
2.
See in tow
More Synonyms of tow
tow in British English1
(təʊ)
verb
1. (transitive)
to pull or drag (a vehicle, boat, etc), esp by means of a rope or cable
noun
2.
the act or an instance of towing
3.
the state of being towed (esp in the phrases in tow, under tow, on tow)
4.
something towed
5.
something used for towing
6. in tow
7. informal
(in motor racing, etc) the act of taking advantage of the slipstream of another car (esp in the phrase get a tow)
8. short for ski tow
Derived forms
towable (ˈtowable)
adjective
Word origin
Old English togian; related to Old Frisian togia, Old Norse toga, Old High German zogōn
tow in British English2
(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
Derived forms
towy (ˈtowy)
adjective
Word origin
Old English tōw; related to Old Saxon tou, Old Norse tō tuft of wool, Dutch touwen to spin
tow in American English1
(toʊ)
verb transitive
1.
to pull by a rope or chain
2.
to pull or drag behind
noun
3.
a towing or being towed
4.
something towed
5.
towline
SIMILAR WORDS: pull
Idioms:
in tow
Word origin
ME towen < OE togian < IE base *deuk-, to pull > duct
tow in American English2
(toʊ)
noun
1.
the coarse and broken fibers of hemp, flax, etc. before spinning
adjective
2.
of or resembling tow
Word origin
ME < OE tow-, for spinning, akin to tawian: see taw2
Examples of 'tow' in a sentence
tow
You can't help but sympathise with some of the moaning drivers as their cars are towed away.
The Sun (2016)
If the mechanism fails while locked, you have to have the car towed as well as repaired.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
When her truck is parked in the wrong place and towed away she faces a $300 bill to get it back.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
These barges were often towed by horses or mules from footpaths on the shore.
Divine, Robert A. (editor) & Breen, T. H & Frederickson, George M & Williams, R. Hal America Past and Present (1995)
We had to get towed or she would sink.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The only problem was they towed the car away.
The Sun (2011)
You need to have it towed away or the key now.
The Sun (2006)
They waited and the car got towed by another car to the farm.
The Sun (2011)
Vehicles were also towed away and arrests made.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We were being towed along inch by inch across the floor of the mosque.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Chefs will tell you that fishing with lines towed behind small boats delivers the best quality fish.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Burning barges were being towed out to sea.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It caused traffic congestion in the area and council workers were called to tow the car out.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We do not realise his car was towed away that morning.
Evans, Andrew The Secrets of Musical Confidence (1994)
The aircraft had been involved in another accident while towing a banner four years ago.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The explosives were defused and the vehicle was towed to a safe location.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Racing along a beach towing a surfer?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This would not include you getting his vehicle towed away.
The Sun (2015)
Then gently, he backed his ship away and towed them all clear.
Admiral Sandy Woodward, With Patrick Robinson ONE HUNDRED DAYS (2003)
Instead, they get a tow into position from a jet ski.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The ship was towed back and beached at Redcar.
The Sun (2012)
The boat was towed into port and the shore team is now waiting for the arrival of ultrasound equipment to assess the damage.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Think of it as a towing vehicle and you're likely to be happier with its capabilities.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The ship was towed away amid fears its 27 tonnes of diesel could cause an eco disaster.
The Sun (2013)
The lake in the park has a huge cable tow system so you don't need an individual boat to try the sport.
The Sun (2009)
I had to tuck back in behind again and get the tow off him and was able to get him into turn one.
The Sun (2009)
In other languages
tow
British English: tow VERB
If one vehicle tows another, it pulls it along behind it.
He had been using the vehicle to tow his work trailer.
American English: tow
Brazilian Portuguese: rebocar
Chinese: 拖
European Spanish: remolcar
French: remorquer
German: ziehen
Italian: rimorchiare
Japanese: 牽引する
Korean: 끌어가다
European Portuguese: rebocar
Latin American Spanish: remolcar
All related terms of 'tow'
in tow
If you have someone in tow , they are following you closely because you are looking after them or you are leading them somewhere .
ski tow
a device for pulling skiers uphill , usually a motor-driven rope grasped by the skiers while riding on their skis
tow car
a motor vehicle equipped for towing away wrecked or disabled cars
tow-start
the act of making the engine of a vehicle begin to work by towing that vehicle with another vehicle
tow truck
A tow truck is a motor vehicle which is used to pull broken or damaged vehicles.
button tow
a kind of ski lift for one person consisting of a pole that has a circular plate at the bottom and is attached to a moving cable . The person places the pole between his or her legs so that the plate takes his or her weight
tow-haired
having blond and sometimes tousled hair
tow-coloured
pale yellow ; flaxen
kowtow
If you say that someone kowtows to someone else, you are criticizing them because they are too eager to obey or be polite to someone in authority .
towrope
A towrope is a strong rope that is used for pulling vehicles.
breakdown van
a motor vehicle equipped for towing away wrecked or disabled cars
towing-truck
a motor vehicle equipped for towing away wrecked or disabled cars
Chinese translation of 'tow'
tow
(təu)
vt
[vehicle, trailer]拖 (tuō)
n
(Aut)
to give sb a tow帮(幫)某人拖车(車) (bāng mǒurén tuōchē)
to have sb in tow (inf) 带(帶)着(著)某人 (dàizhe mǒurén)
"on or (US) in tow" (Aut) "被拖着(著)" ("bèi tuōzhe")
All related terms of 'tow'
tow away
( vehicle ) 拖走 tuōzǒu
tow rope
拖绳(繩) tuōshéng [ 根 gēn ]
tow truck
( breakdown lorry ) 拖车(車) tuōchē [ 部 bù ]
"on or ( US ) in tow"
( Aut ) "被拖着(著)" "bèi tuōzhe"
to give sb a tow
帮(幫)某人拖车(車) bāng mǒurén tuōchē
to have sb in tow
( inf ) 带(帶)着(著)某人 dàizhe mǒurén
(verb)
Definition
to pull or drag (a vehicle), esp. by means of a rope or cable
He was using the vehicle to tow his trailer.
Synonyms
drag
He got up and dragged his chair towards the table.
draw
He drew his chair nearer the fire.
pull
I helped pull him out of the water.
trail
She came down the stairs, trailing the coat behind her.
haul
A crane hauled the car out of the stream.
tug
She tugged him along by his arm.
yank
She yanked the child back into the house.
hale
trawl
lug
Nobody wants to lug around huge heavy suitcases.
(noun)
Definition
the act or an instance of towing
I can give you a tow if you want.
Synonyms
drag
pull
He took a deep pull of his cigarette.
haul
tug
My head was snapped backwards by a tug on my air hose.
phrase
See in tow
Additional synonyms
in the sense of draw
Definition
to cause (a person or thing) to move closer or further away from a place by pulling
He drew his chair nearer the fire.
Synonyms
pull,
drag,
haul,
tow,
tug
in the sense of haul
Definition
to transport, such as in a lorry
A crane hauled the car out of the stream.
Synonyms
pull,
trail,
convey,
tow,
move,
carry,
transport,
tug,
cart,
hump (British, slang),
lug
in the sense of haul
Definition
the act of dragging with effort
Synonyms
drag,
pull,
tug,
heave
Synonyms of 'tow'
tow
Explore 'tow' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of lug
Definition
to carry or drag with great effort
Nobody wants to lug around huge heavy suitcases.
Synonyms
drag,
carry,
pull,
haul,
tow,
yank,
hump (British, slang),
heave
in the sense of pull
Definition
to exert force on (an object) to draw it towards the source of the force
I helped pull him out of the water.
Synonyms
draw,
haul,
drag,
trail,
tow,
tug,
jerk,
yank,
prise,
wrench,
lug,
wrest
in the sense of pull
Definition
the act of taking in drink or smoke
He took a deep pull of his cigarette.
Synonyms
puff,
drag (slang),
inhalation
in the sense of trail
Definition
to drag or stream along the ground or through the air behind someone or something
She came down the stairs, trailing the coat behind her.
Synonyms
drag,
draw,
pull,
sweep,
stream,
haul,
tow,
dangle,
droop
in the sense of tug
Definition
to pull or drag with a sharp or powerful movement
She tugged him along by his arm.
Synonyms
drag,
pull,
haul,
tow,
lug,
heave,
draw
in the sense of tug
Definition
a strong pull or jerk
My head was snapped backwards by a tug on my air hose.
Synonyms
pull,
jerk,
yank,
wrench,
drag,
haul,
tow,
traction,
heave
in the sense of yank
Definition
to pull (someone or something) with a sharp movement