tug

[ tuhg ]

verb (used with object)

, tugged, tug·ging.

1. to pull at with force, vigor, or effort.

   Synonyms: wrench, jerk, yank

2. to move by pulling forcibly; drag; haul.
3. to tow (a vessel) by means of a tugboat.

verb (used without object)

, tugged, tug·ging.

1. to pull with force or effort:

   to tug at a stuck drawer.

2. to strive hard; labor; toil.

noun

1. an act or instance of tugging; pull; haul.
2. a strenuous contest between opposing forces, groups, or persons; struggle:

   the tug of young minds in a seminar.

3. tugboat.
4. that by which something is tugged, as a rope or chain.
5. (on a harness)
   1. trace ²( def 1 ).
   2. any of various supporting or pulling parts.

tug

/ tʌɡ /

verb

1. whenintr, sometimes foll by at to pull or drag with sharp or powerful movements

   the boy tugged at the door handle

2. tr to tow (a vessel) by means of a tug
3. intr to work; toil

noun

1. a strong pull or jerk

   he gave the rope a tug

2. Also calledtugboattowboat a boat with a powerful engine, used for towing barges, ships, etc
3. a hard struggle or fight
4. a less common word for trace 2

Derived Forms

• ˈtugger, noun

Other Words From

• tugger noun
• tugless adjective
• un·tugged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tug¹

1175–1225; Middle English toggen to play-wrestle, contend; akin to Old English togian to tow ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of tug¹

C13: related to Old English tēon to tow ¹

Example Sentences

Firstly, inheritance tax, perhaps like no other tax, has an outsized emotive tug on so, so many people - in fact a far greater number of people than are ever likely to end up paying it.

From BBC

Following the song’s debut, McGraw said: “This little 5-year-old blond girl came up and kind of tugged on my shirt and said, you know, ‘You just sang a song about my dad, didn’t you?’

From Los Angeles Times

What really tugged at Schur is a reality that often sets in without notice: How our lives have gotten smaller in the modern age.

From Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile, Lidl - like John Lewis - has gone for a classic tale designed to tug at the heartstrings.

From BBC

The load on the tug's towlines was also between two and five times more than Clydeport's recommended speed range.

From BBC