tow
tow Lexical Profile
tow Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The act of pulling a vehicle or vessel along behind another using a rope, chain, or specialized equipment.
"We had to call a roadside assistance service for a tow when the car's radiator overheated."
Coarse and broken fibers of hemp or flax that are separated during processing and used for spinning or packing.
"The traditional shipwright used oakum mixed with tar and tow to seal the gaps between the wooden hull planks."
• verb
To pull or drag (a vehicle, vessel, or other heavy object) behind another vehicle or person by means of a rope, chain, or tow bar.
"The coast guard quickly dispatched a cutter to tow the disabled sailboat back to the harbor."
Word Nuance & Usage
Care should be taken not to confuse 'tow' (to pull) with its homophone 'toe' (a foot digit). Additionally, the noun form functions as a homonym, describing both the act of pulling and, historically, coarse flax or hemp fibers.
• Rhymes for tow
Word Origin & Etymology
The verb comes from Old English 'togian', meaning to draw or drag, sharing Proto-Germanic roots with 'tug'. The unrelated noun meaning 'flax fiber' comes from Old English 'tow-', related to spinning, from Old Norse 'tó'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.