tow
tow
UK[təʊ]US[toʊ]
v
To pull a vehicle or boat along behind another vehicle, using a rope or chain.
n
An act of towing a vehicle or boat.
n
A rope or chain used for towing.
Etymology
The verb 'tow' originates from the Old English word 'togian', meaning 'to drag or pull'. This Old English term is related to the Old Norse 'toga' and the Middle Dutch 'togen', all sharing the core sense of pulling or drawing. These Germanic roots can be traced further back to the Proto-Germanic 'tugōną', and ultimately to the Proto-Indo-European root 'deuk-', meaning 'to lead'. The semantic journey is direct, from the ancient concept of leading or pulling to the modern, specific meaning of pulling a vehicle or vessel with a rope or chain.
Analysis
The word 'tow' is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It functions as a complete lexical unit.
Examples
The breakdown truck arrived to tow the car to the nearest garage.
We had to call for a tow when our car's battery died.
The tugboat used a heavy-duty tow line to pull the barge.