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Definition of tow verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

 

tow

 verb
verb
NAmE//toʊ//
 
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they tow
 
he / she / it tows
 
past simple towed
 
-ing form towing
 
 
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tow something (away) to pull a car or boat behind another vehicle, using a rope or chain Our car was towed away by the police. see tow bar, tow rope Thesauruspull
  • drag
  • draw
  • haul
  • tow
  • tug
These words all mean to move something in a particular direction, especially toward or behind you.
  • pull to hold something and move it in a particular direction; to hold or be attached to a vehicle and move it along behind you:Pull the chair closer to the table. They use horses to pull their carts.
  • drag to pull someone or something in a particular direction or behind you, usually along the ground, and especially with effort:The sack is too heavy to lift—you'll have to drag it.
  • draw (formal) to move someone or something by pulling them/it gently; to pull a vehicle such as a carriage:I drew my chair closer to the fire. a horse-drawn carriage
  • haul to pull someone or something to a particular place with a lot of effort:Liz hauled her suitcase up the stairs.
drag or haul?
  • You usually drag something behind you along the ground; you usually haul something toward you, often upward toward you. Dragging something often needs effort, but hauling something always does.
  • tow to pull a car, boat, or light plane behind another vehicle, using a rope or chain:Our car was towed away by the police.
  • tug to pull someone or something hard in a particular direction:The boy tugged at his father's sleeve.
Patterns
  • to pull/drag/draw/haul/tow somebody/something along/down/toward something
  • to pull/drag/draw/haul/tow somebody/something behind you
  • to pull/drag/draw/haul a cart/sled
  • to pull/draw a coach/carriage
  • to pull/haul/tow a trailer
  • horses pull/draw/haul something
  • dogs pull/drag/haul something
See tow in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary