tow

verb

1. (transitive)To pull something behind one, such as by using a line, chain, or tongue.

   “Near-synonyms: draw, haul, pull, trail”

   “In its current specification it cannot be driven and must be towed to its work location by a locomotive.”

2. (usually)To aid someone behind by shielding them from wind resistance.

noun

1. The act of towing and the condition of being towed.

   “It isn't the car's battery; I think I need a tow.”

2. Something, such as a tugboat, that tows.
3. Something, such as a barge, that is towed.
4. A rope or cable used in towing.
5. A speed increase given by driving in front of another car on a straight, which causes a slipstream for the car behind.

   “On Saturday, Vettel was very unhappy with Leclerc's failure to work out a way through the traffic and give him a tow for the second runs in qualifying, as had been agreed.”

6. (countable, uncountable)An untwisted bundle of fibres such as cellulose acetate, flax, hemp or jute.

   “And the strong shall be as towe, and the maker of it as a sparke, and they shall both burne together, and none shall quench them.”

   “Meanwhile the farmer's wife was at home all alone, and while she was sitting and spinning her tow, she never noticed a Troll who had crept through the window into the next room, and was at the beer barrel drawing off the liquor into his copper kettle.”

7. (countable, specifically, uncountable)The short, coarse, less desirable fibres separated by hackling from the finer longer fibres (line).
8. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided: a kind of antitank missile.

   “The American-made TOW antitank missiles began arriving in the region in 2013, through a covert program run by the United States, Saudi Arabia and other allies to help certain C.I.A.-vetted insurgent groups battle the Syrian government.”

name

1. A surname.

phrase

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism, slang)Initialism of The One with ... or The One Where ...: used to refer to episodes of the American television sitcom Friends.

   “TOW the Prom Video”

   “Yay! It's coming out this Friday! Staring Jennifer Aniston, Ben Stiller (played the Rachel's boyfriend in TOW The Screamer), Hank Azaria (David) and Debra Messing...3 Friends people. Looks funny.”