What does "tow" mean?
The act of towing and the condition of being towed.
Tow
/təʊ/ name, noun, phrase, verb, slang
name, noun, phrase, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of towing and the condition of being towed.
- Grammar: tow is listed as name, noun, phrase, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: bowse, coarse fiber, consistent pull, drag.
- Useful contrasts: detach, fine fiber, long fiber.
- Usage evidence: The policeman didn't tow your car away.
How to use "tow"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "tow" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "tow" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "tow" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "tow" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "tow" is acting as name, noun, phrase, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bowse" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "tow", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of towing and the condition of being towed.
"It isn't the car's battery; I think I need a tow."
- 2 An untwisted bundle of fibres such as cellulose acetate, flax, hemp or jute. countable, uncountable
"And the strong shall be as towe, and the maker of it as a sparke, and they shall both burne together, and none shall quench them."
- 3 Initialism of tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided: a kind of antitank missile. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
"The American-made TOW antitank missiles began arriving in the region in 2013, through a covert program run by the United States, Saudi Arabia and other allies to help certain C.I.A.-vetted insurgent groups battle the Syrian government."
- 4 the act of hauling something (as a vehicle) by means of a hitch or rope wordnet
- 5 Something, such as a tugboat, that tows.
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 The short, coarse, less desirable fibres separated by hackling from the finer longer fibres (line). countable, specifically, uncountable
- 7 Something, such as a barge, that is towed.
- 8 A rope or cable used in towing.
- 9 A speed increase given by driving in front of another car on a straight, which causes a slipstream for the car behind.
"On Saturday, Vettel was very unhappy with Leclerc's failure to work out a way through the traffic and give him a tow for the second runs in qualifying, as had been agreed."
Verb
- 1 To pull something behind one, such as by using a line, chain, or tongue. transitive
"Near-synonyms: draw, haul, pull, trail"
- 2 drag behind wordnet
- 3 To aid someone behind by shielding them from wind resistance. usually
Phrase
- 1 Initialism of The One with ... or The One Where ...: used to refer to episodes of the American television sitcom Friends. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism, slang
"TOW the Prom Video"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The policeman didn't tow your car away."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "tow"?
Common synonyms include: bowse, coarse fiber, consistent pull, drag, dragging, draggle.
How do you use "tow" in a sentence?
The policeman didn't tow your car away.
How do you pronounce "tow"?
Pronounced /təʊ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English towen, from Old English togian, from Proto-West Germanic *togōn, from Proto-Germanic *tugōną, from Proto-Indo-European *dewk-. See also Middle High German zogen, German ziehen, Dutch tijgen, Old Norse toga.
Etymology 2
From Middle English touw, from Old English tow- (“spinning”) (in compounds, e.g. towcræft, towhūs, towlic), from Proto-Germanic *tawwą; compare Old Norse tó (“uncleansed wool”), Dutch touw (“rope”). Perhaps cognate with Old English tawian (“prepare for use”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌿𐌾𐌰𐌽 (taujan, “do, make”).
Etymology 3
* As an English surname, variant of Tough, from the adjective tough. Also compare the Scottish surname Tulloch. * As a Chinese surname, converged from several Romanizations, such as 陶 (Dao), 曹 (cáo) (Cao), 杜 (dù) (Du), 蘇 /苏 (sū) (Su).