v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Towed p. pr. & vb. n. Towing. ] [ OE. towen, to&yogh_;en; akin to OFries. toga to pull about, OHG. zogōn, Icel. toga, AS. tohline 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Icel. taug a rope, from the same root as E. tow, v. t. ] 1. A rope by which anything is towed; a towline, or towrope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of towing, or the state of being towed; -- chiefly used in the phrase, to take in tow, that is to tow. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is towed, or drawn by a towline, as a barge, raft, collection of boats, ect. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Tow, v..cf. F. touage. ] 1. The act of towing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The price paid for towing. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A towel. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. &unr_;. See Toward, prep. ] 1. Approaching; coming near. “His toward peril.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Readly to do or learn; compliant with duty; not froward; apt; docile; tractable; as, a toward youth. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Ready to act; forward; bold; valiant. [ 1913 Webster ]

Why, that is spoken like a toward prince. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being towardly; docility; tractableness. [ 1913 Webster ]

The beauty and towardliness of these children moved her brethren to envy. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Same as Toward, a., 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

He's towardly and will come on apace. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality or state of being toward. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } prep.[ AS. &unr_; impending, imminent, future, toward, &unr_; towards. See To, and -ward, wards. ] 1. In the direction of; to. [ 1913 Webster ]

He set his face toward the wilderness. Num. xxiv. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

The waves make towards the pebbled shore. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. With direction to, in a moral sense; with respect or reference to; regarding; concerning. [ 1913 Webster ]

His eye shall be evil toward his brother. Deut. xxviii. 54. [ 1913 Webster ]

Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men. Acts xxiv. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Tending to; in the direction of; in behalf of. [ 1913 Webster ]

This was the first alarm England received towards any trouble. Clarendom. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Near; about; approaching to. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am toward nine years older since I left you. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]