towel
pronunciation
How to pronounce towel in British English:
UK [ˈtaʊəl]
How to pronounce towel in American English:
US [ˈtaʊəl]
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- Noun:
- a rectangular piece of absorbent cloth (or paper) for drying or wiping
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- Verb:
- wipe with a towel
Word Origin
- towel
- towel: [13] A towel is etymologically something for ‘washing’ with. The word comes from Old French toaille, which was a borrowing from prehistoric Germanic *thwakhliō. This was derived from the verb *thwakhan ‘wash’, whose modern descendants include Swedish tvätta and Danish tvætte ‘wash’. Another relative is Swedish tvål ‘soap’.
- towel (n.)
- mid-13c., from Old French toaille (12c.), from Frankish *thwahlja, from Proto-Germanic *thwahlijan (cognates: Old Saxon thwahila, Middle Dutch dwale "towel," Dutch dwaal "altar cloth," Old High German dwehila "towel," German dialectal Zwehle "napkin"); related to German zwagen, Old English þwean "to wash." Spanish toalla, Italian tovaglia are Germanic loan-words. To throw in the towel "admit defeat" (1915) is from boxing.
- towel (v.)
- 1836 (transitive); 1861 (intransitive), from towel (n.). Related: Towelled; towelling.
Example
- 1. Use a clean towel to dry off any remaining liquid .
- 2. The company later reinstated the towel service .
- 3. A regular towel doesn 't work wet .
- 4. Mushrooms wipe with damp paper towel .
- 5. This creative towel reminds you to be careful during the summer .