towel

[ tou-uhl, toul ]

noun

1. an absorbent cloth or paper for wiping and drying something wet, as one for the hands, face, or body after washing or bathing.

verb (used with object)

, tow·eled, tow·el·ing or (especially British) tow·elled, tow·el·ling.

1. to wipe or dry with a towel.

towel

/ ˈtaʊəl /

noun

1. a square or rectangular piece of absorbent cloth or paper used for drying the body
2. a similar piece of cloth used for drying plates, cutlery, etc
3. throw in the towel
   See throw in

verb

1. to dry or wipe with a towel
2. slang.
   often foll byup to assault or beat (a person)

Word History and Origins

Origin of towel¹

1250–1300; Middle English (noun) < Old French toaille cloth for washing or wiping < West Germanic *thwahliō (> Old High German dwahilla, akin to dwahal bath); cognate with Gothic thwahl, thwēal washing

Word History and Origins

Origin of towel¹

C13: from Old French toaille, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German dwahal bath, Old Saxon twahila towel, Gothic thwahan to wash

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. throw in the towel, Informal. to concede defeat; give up; yield:

   He vowed he would never throw in the towel.

More idioms and phrases containing towel

see crying towel ; throw in the sponge (towel) .

Example Sentences

Lice are spread by direct contact with the hair or items that an infested person has used, like hats, combs, brushes, towels, pillows, beds or even stuffed animals.

From Los Angeles Times

A judge found he was restrained face down by staff three times and that others placed a towel around the door of his room to stop him leaving it 14 times.

From BBC

“I was only only wearing my towel and was half naked back then so he said it was a change for me to be fully dressed.”

From BBC

She grew up wrapping damp greens in linen tea towels to keep them crisp but was frustrated when her salad makings fell out of the towels.

From Los Angeles Times

Once there, the players took in a scene they’d only before been able to envision: Throngs of thousands of people in Dodger blue, waving flags, signs and rally towels as the team drove by.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bake
• blot
• deplete
• drain
• empty
• evaporate
• exhaust
• sear
• shrivel
• wilt
• wipe
• wither