From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtowtow1 /təʊ $ toʊ/ ●○○ verb [transitive] TTPULLto pull a vehicle or ship along behind another vehicle, using a rope or chain The ship had to be towed into the harbor.tow something away Our car had been towed away.► see thesaurus at pull→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
tow• A final decision will be made once the stricken destroyer is towed away.• Power surfers are towed behind a jet-ski into massive oceanic swells that move too fast to catch by paddling conventional surfboards.• I towed her over to the muddy shore and flung her aboard Flupper.• The lifeguard boat offered to tow his board out through the pounding break.• The police had towed his car away because it was blocking the road.• Their yacht was also towed in.• He often towed it to Lake Whitney, near Waco.• Their target was a specific spot where, earlier, a towed temperature probe had measured a spike of warm water.• The damaged ship was towed to the nearest port.• What's the speed limit for cars towing trailers?tow something away• When I came back the car had been towed away.towtow2 noun 1 [countable]TTPULL an act of pulling a vehicle behind another vehicle, using a rope or chain Can you give us a tow to the garage?2 → in tow3 → take something in tow4 → under/on towExamples from the Corpus
tow• I seized the chance to ask for a tow, anything to get us clear of that suicidal place.• Many enjoy the festival so much that they return season after season, with spouses and children in tow.• Sometimes they came alone, sometimes with a man in tow - to foot the bill!• In April 1986 our 29-year-old son met a lorry coming from the opposite direction with a very heavy utility trailer in tow.Origin tow1 Old English togian 