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towboat

towboat

1 4.6
A small strong boat that pulls or pushes larger boats on rivers and canals
  • noun
  • /ˈtoʊˌboʊt/
  • US
translation icon : remolcador
  • Construction of a towboat at Horizon Shipbuilding.
  • barge and towboat
  • towboat operator
  • captain of the towboat

Examples

  • As the sun set, the towboat resumed its journey, maneuvering multiple barges in tow.

  • I got a kick out of touring their towboat built in 1952.

    Blog text (26)
  • These towboats can push as many as 30 barges at one time.

    Blog text (14)
  • To move and guide so much cumulative weight at once, modern towboats need plenty of horsepower.

    Blog text (14)
  • A massive marine diesel engine from Caterpillar is being installed inside the engine compartment of a towboat.

    Blog text (14)
  • At the cross streets, he could see on the river a towboat pushing a line of barges slowly upstream, black smoke gushing from its stacks.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Most towboats use two diesel engines with up to 3,000 hp or more per engine to produce the torque and power needed to safely direct the barges.

    Blog text (14)
  • towboat pulled the heavy barge smoothly along the river.

  • towboat made a sharp turn to navigate around the bend in the canal.

Synonyms

tug
vstowboat
19 2.7

A small strong boat that tows or pushes larger ships

focuses mainly on moving barges on rivers and canals
tugboat
vstowboat
19 2.6

A small strong boat that pushes or pulls large ships in harbours and rivers

is mainly used for barges and usually works on rivers and canals

How Powerful

tugboat
19 2.6
towboat
  • US
1 4.6
workboat
1 3.4
small boat
13 1.0
canoe
120 1.0

Surface Forms

towboat singular
towboats plural

Morphology

towboat = tow + boat (transparent) = tow + boat

A clear compound meaning 'a boat for towing' formed from the verb/noun 'tow' and 'boat'.

Etymology

Towboat comes from the two parts tow ('to pull') and boat, so it is literally a 'pulling boat'. A helpful image is a tow truck on the road that pulls a car; a towboat does the same on the water, pulling or guiding large barges.