English Explanatory Dictionary

towel

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

A cloth used for wiping, especially one used for drying anything wet, such as a person after a bath.

verb

To dry by using a towel.
To hit with a towel.
To block up (a door, etc.) with a towel, to conceal the fumes of a recreational drug.
To beat with a stick, or "oaken towel".

Pronunciation

/ˈtaʊ̯əl/ [ˈtʰaʊ̯l̩] en-us-towel.ogg En-uk-towel.ogg /ˈtæʊ̯əl/ [ˈtæʊ̯l̩] /ˈtaːəl/ [ˈtʰaːl̩]

Word forms

towel towels toweling towelling toweled towelled

Etymology

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”).

Derived words

bath towel beach towel cum towel cup towel dish towel dishtowel golf towel hand towel Italy towel jack towel kitchen towel oaken towel paper towel paper toweling rally towel roller towel sanitary towel shaving towel shop towel show towel sky the towel tea towel Terrible Towel throw in the towel towelette towel gourd towelhead towel-horse toweling towelless towellike towel rail towel snap Turkish towel towel down towel off towel up untoweled untowelled

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