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Webster 1913 Edition

Tow

Tow

(tō)
,
Noun.
[OE.
tow
, AS.
tow
, akin to OD.
touw
, Icel.
tō
a tuft of wool for spinning; cf. E.
taw
, v. t.]
The coarse and broken part of flax or hemp, separated from the finer part by the hatchel or swingle.

Tow

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Towed
(tōd)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Towing
.]
[OE.
towen
, toȝen; akin to OFries.
toga
to pull about, OHG. zogōn, Icel.
toga
, AS.
toh
line a towline, and AS.
teón
to draw, p. p.
getogen
. See
Tug
.]
To draw or pull through the water, as a vessel of any kind, by means of a rope.

Tow

,
Noun.
[Cf. Icel.
taug
a rope, from the same root as E.
tow
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
A rope by which anything is towed; a towline, or towrope.
2.
The act of towing, or the state of being towed; – chiefly used in the phrase, to take in tow, that is to tow.
3.
That which is towed, or drawn by a towline, as a barge, raft, collection of boats, ect.

Webster 1828 Edition

Tow

TOW

,
Verb.
T.
[L. duco.] To drag, as a boat or ship, through the water by means of a rope. Towing is performed by another boat or ship, or by men on shore, or by horses. Boats on canals are usually towed by horses.

TOW

,
Noun.
[L. stupa.] The coarse and broken part of flax or hemp, separated from the finer part by the hatchel or swingle.

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