Word
tow
US/ˈtoʊ/
UK/tˈəʊ/
Definitions
01to pull a vehicle
B1 · Intermediate
v. to pull a car, boat, or trailer behind another vehicle using a rope or chain.
v. to pull a vehicle or vessel along by means of a rope, chain, or towbar. Transitive; requires a direct object.
“The truck had to tow our car to the garage after the engine broke down.”
“The coast guard dispatched a heavy-duty cutter to tow the disabled freighter back to the safety of the harbor before the storm intensified.”
Usage
Often used in the passive voice when a car is removed by authorities.
Antonyms
02the act of pulling
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the act of being pulled by another vehicle.
n. the act of towing or the state of being towed, often used in the phrase 'in tow'.
“The broken-down van was taken away on a tow.”
“The celebrity arrived at the gala with a massive security detail and several assistants in tow.”
Usage
Commonly found in the prepositional phrase 'in tow'.
03plant fibers
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Technical
n. rough, coarse fibers from plants like flax or hemp used to make rope or cloth.
n. the coarse and broken fibers of flax, hemp, or jute separated by hackling from the finer strands.
“The old rope was made from rough hemp tow.”
“Historically, tow was utilized for caulking the seams of wooden ships to ensure they remained watertight during long voyages.”
Usage
Usually uncountable when referring to the material.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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