Tug — Defs

01 v. t. To pull or draw with great effort; to draw along with continued exertion; to haul along; to tow; as, to tug a loaded cart; to tug a ship in…

imp. & p. p. Tugged; p. pr. & vb. n. Tugging

1.
To pull or draw with great effort; to draw along with continued exertion; to haul along; to tow; as, to tug a loaded cart; to tug a ship into port.
“There sweat, there strain, tug the laborious oar.” — Roscommon.
2.
To pull; to pluck.[Obs.]
“To ease the pain, His tugged cars suffered with a strain.” — Hudibras.

02 v. i. To pull with great effort; to strain in labor; as, to tug at the oar; to tug against the stream.

1.
To pull with great effort; to strain in labor; as, to tug at the oar; to tug against the stream.
“He tugged, he shook, till down they came.” — Milton.
2.
To labor; to strive; to struggle.
“England now is left To tug and scamble and to part by the teeth The unowed interest of proud-swelling state.” — Shak.

03 n. A pull with the utmost effort, as in the athletic contest called tug of war; a supreme effort.

1.
A pull with the utmost effort, as in the athletic contest called tug of war; a supreme effort.
“At the tug he falls, Vast ruins come along, rent from the smoking walls.” — Dryden.
2.
A sort of vehicle, used for conveying timber and heavy articles.[Prov. Eng.]
3.
A small, powerful steamboat used to tow vessels; -- called also steam tug, tugboat, and towboat.(Naut.) Also: steam tug, tugboat, towboat
4.
A trace, or drawing strap, of a harness.
5.
An iron hook of a hoisting tub, to which a tackle is affixed.(Mining.)

Phrases & compounds

Tug iron — an iron hook or button to which a tug or trace may be attached, as on the shaft of a wagon.