towel

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A piece of cloth used for drying something wet, such as your body or hands.

   He grabbed a towel to dry himself after the shower.

2. 2
   verb

   To dry something with a towel.

   He got out of the shower and towelled himself dry.

From Middle English towayle, towel, towail, towaille, from Old French toaille (“towel”) (modern French touaille), Medieval Latin toallia, from Frankish *þwahilu (“cloth”), from Proto-Germanic *þwahaną (“to wash”). Cognate with Old High German dwahila (“towel”) (modern dialectal German Zwehle), Dutch dwaal (“towel”), dweil (“mop”), Low German Dweel (“towel”), Old English þwǣle (“band; ribbon; fillet”), Old English þwēan (“to wash”).

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