Tug (Verb)
Meaning 1
Pull hard; "The prisoner tugged at the chains"; "This movie tugs at the heart strings".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The child tugged at her mother's skirt as they walked through the crowded mall.
- The fish tugged on the hook, trying to break free from the line.
- The movie's tragic ending tugged at the audience's heartstrings, leaving many in tears.
- As the storm approached, the strong winds began to tug at the trees, causing branches to snap.
- The woman tugged at the rope, trying to dislodge the stubborn knot.
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Meaning 2
Move by pulling hard; "The horse finally tugged the cart out of the mud".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She tugged on the rope to try and pull the boat back to the dock.
- The strong man tugged at the massive door, but it wouldn't budge.
- He tugged his little brother along behind him as they walked to school.
- The tree branch tugged on her hair, getting tangled as she walked by.
- The team of dogs tugged on their leashes, excited to start their run.
Hypernyms
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Meaning 3
Strive and make an effort to reach a goal; "She tugged for years to make a decent living"; "We have to push a little to make the deadline!"; "She is driving away at her doctoral thesis".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The family tugged for months to pay off their mortgage but eventually succeeded in becoming debt-free.
- She tugged against the odds and finally landed her dream job after years of struggle.
- The team tugged through the tough project, refusing to back down until it was complete.
- He tugged at his childhood dreams, working hard to become a professional musician.
- The community tugged together and managed to raise the funds needed for the new local hospital.
Synonyms
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Meaning 4
Struggle in opposition; "She tugged and wrestled with her conflicts".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
Examples
- The team tugged against opposing forces to reach a compromise on the project's budget.
- As she navigated her emotional turmoil, she tugged between reason and irrational fears.
- Throughout her life, she tugged against societal expectations to forge her own path.
- Her creative and practical sides tugged, making it difficult to decide on a career path.
- In a battle of wills, the two siblings tugged for control of the television remote.
Hypernyms
Meaning 5
Pull or strain hard at; "Each oar was tugged by several men".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She tugged at her leash, trying to break free from her owner's grip.
- The rope was tugged back and forth between the two teams competing in the contest.
- The mother tugged at her child's hand, urging him to move faster through the crowded market.
- The ropes were tugged by the sailors, raising the massive sail into the sky.
- He tugged at the door, but it wouldn't budge, stuck due to years of wear and tear.
Hypernyms
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Meaning 6
Tow (a vessel) with a tug; "The tugboat tugged the freighter into the harbor".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The tugboat tugged the freighter into the harbor after it broke down at sea.
- The harbor pilot signaled the tug to pull the ship into the loading dock.
- A powerful tug attempted to shift the massive container ship stuck in the mud.
- Two small tugs struggled to maneuver the giant oil tanker through the narrow waterway.
- The emergency tug was dispatched to tug a distressed luxury cruise liner to safety.
Related Words
Meaning 7
Carry with difficulty; "You'll have to lug this suitcase".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The exhausted hikers had to tug their massive backpacks up the steep mountain trail.
- After buying groceries, she struggled to tug her heavy bags home in the rain.
- The large furniture was too heavy, and they had to tug it across the floor together.
- He grumbled as he had to tug his little brother on his scooter for blocks.
- The movers struggled to tug the bulky couch around the tight corner and down the stairs.