Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Taw

//tɔː// name, noun, verb

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A river in Devon, England, which flows into an estuary where it meets the River Torridge.
  2. 2
    The station code of Tai Wai in Hong Kong.
Noun
  1. 1
    Tawed leather. obsolete
  2. 2
    A favorite marble in the game of marbles.

    "Near the timberyard a squatted child at marbles, alone, shooting the taw with a cunnythumb."

  3. 3
    The 22nd and last letter of many Semitic alphabets/abjads, including Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, and Arabic.
  4. 4
    a large marble used for shooting in the game of marbles wordnet
  5. 5
    A line or mark from which the players begin a game of marbles.
Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    the 23rd letter of the Hebrew alphabet wordnet
  2. 7
    A dance partner.

    "Walk around your corner; see-saw around your taw."

  3. 8
    A favorite person; beloved, partner, spouse.
Verb
  1. 1
    To prepare or dress, as hemp, by beating; to tew. obsolete, transitive
  2. 2
    To shoot a marble.
  3. 3
    To push; to tug; to tow.

    "Swans vpon the Streame to tawe me"

  4. 4
    To beat; to scourge. broadly, transitive
  5. 5
    To dress and prepare, as the skins of sheep, lambs, goats, and kids, for gloves, etc., by imbuing them with alum, salt, and other agents, for softening and bleaching them. transitive
Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    To dress and prepare, as the skins of sheep, lambs, goats, and kids, for gloves, etc., by imbuing them with alum, salt, and other agents, for softening and bleaching them.; To turn (animals' hide) into leather, usually by soaking it in a certain solution. transitive

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English tawen, from Old English tawian (“to do, make”), from Proto-West Germanic *tawōn, a variant of Proto-West Germanic *tauwjan, from Proto-Germanic *tawjaną (“to make, prepare”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- (“to tie to, secure”). Cognate with Dutch touwen (“to rope, tether, curry”), Dutch tuien (“to fasten with ropes”), German Tau (“rope, hawser, cable”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌿𐌾𐌰𐌽 (taujan, “to make, prepare”). Related to tool and tether.

Etymology 2

From Middle English tawen, from Old English tawian (“to do, make”), from Proto-West Germanic *tawōn, a variant of Proto-West Germanic *tauwjan, from Proto-Germanic *tawjaną (“to make, prepare”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- (“to tie to, secure”). Cognate with Dutch touwen (“to rope, tether, curry”), Dutch tuien (“to fasten with ropes”), German Tau (“rope, hawser, cable”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌿𐌾𐌰𐌽 (taujan, “to make, prepare”). Related to tool and tether.

Etymology 3

Unknown. Attested in English from the 18th century. Compare Old English tāw (“instrument”). Also compare Irish togh (“choose, elect”).

Etymology 4

Unknown. Attested in English from the 18th century. Compare Old English tāw (“instrument”). Also compare Irish togh (“choose, elect”).

Etymology 5

Compare Phoenician 𐤕 (tāw), Hebrew ת (tav), Arabic تاء (tāʔ).

Etymology 6

Compare tew (“to tow”), and tow.

See also for "taw"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Want a quick game? Try Word Finder.