tug

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to struggle in opposition

   They tugged and wrestled with their conflicts.

2. 2
   verb

   pull hard

   The prisoner tugged at the chains

3. 3
   verb

   pull or strain hard at

   Each oar was tugged by several men

4. 4
   verb

   move by pulling hard

   The horse finally tugged the cart out of the mud

5. 5
   verb

   tow (a vessel) with a tug

   The tugboat tugged the freighter into the harbor

6. 6
   verb

   strive and make an effort to reach a goal

   They tugged for years to make a decent living.

7. 7
   verb

   To pull or drag with great effort.

   The police officers tugged the drunkard out of the pub.

8. 8
   verb

   To pull hard repeatedly.

   He lost his patience trying to undo his shoe-lace, but tugging it made the knot even tighter.

Etymology

From Middle English tuggen, toggen, from Old English togian (“to draw, drag”), from Proto-West Germanic *togōn, from Proto-Germanic *tugōną (“to draw, tear”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to pull”). Cognate with Middle Low German togen (“to draw”), Middle High German zogen (“to pull, tear off”), Icelandic toga (“to pull, draw”). Related to tow.