tow

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

tow [tow tows towed towing] verb, noun BrE [təʊ] NAmE [toʊ]
verb ~ sth (away)
to pull a car or boat behind another vehicle, using a rope or chain
•Our car was towed away by the police.
see also ↑tow bar, ↑tow rope
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Old English togian ‘draw, drag’, of Germanic origin; related to ↑tug. The noun dates from the early 17th cent.

Synonyms:
pull
drag • draw • haul • tow • tug
These words all mean to move sth in a particular direction, especially towards or behind you.
pull • to hold sth and move it in a particular direction; to hold or be attached to a vehicle and move it along behind you: ▪ Pull the chair nearer the table. ◇ ▪ They use oxen to pull their carts.
drag • to pull sb/sth 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 sb/sth 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 sb/sth to a particular place with a lot of effort: ▪ Fishermen were hauling in their nets.
drag or haul?
You usually drag sth behind you along the ground; you usually haul sth towards you, often upwards towards you. Dragging sth often needs effort, but hauling sth 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 sb/sth hard in a particular direction: ▪ She tried to escape but he tugged her back.
to pull/drag/draw/haul/tow/tug sb/sth along/down/towards sth
to pull/drag/draw/haul/tow sb/sth behind you
to pull/drag/draw/haul a cart/sledge
to pull/draw a coach/carriage
to pull/haul/tow a truck
horses pull/draw/haul sth
dogs pull/drag/haul sth

Example Bank:
•A glider was being towed into the air.
Idiom: ↑in tow
 
noun singular
an act of one vehicle pulling another vehicle using a rope or chain
•The car broke down and we had to get somebody to give us a tow.
•a tow truck

Word Origin:
Old English togian ‘draw, drag’, of Germanic origin; related to ↑tug. The noun dates from the early 17th cent.

Example Bank:
•The ship, whose engine had failed, is now safely under tow.
•a harassed mother with three small children in tow