tugboat — A small, powerful boat used to tow or push larger ships in harbors or waterways
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: A small, powerful boat used to tow or push larger ships in harbors or waterways
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈtʌɡboʊt/
Example Sentences
- The tiny tugboat looked like a mouse trying to move an elephant as it guided the cruise ship.
- Captain Smith has operated tugboats in New York Harbor for over twenty years.
- The tugboat's horn echoed across the water as it approached the stranded yacht.
tugboat
NOUN[/ˈtʌɡboʊt/]
A small, powerful boat used to tow or push larger ships in harbors or waterways
A small tugboat pulls a massive cargo ship safely into the harbor.
The tugboat saves the lifeboat!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
A 19th-century compound formed from the English verb 'tug' (to pull) and 'boat'. The term emerged as a practical descriptor for small, powerful steam-powered vessels designed to assist large ships in confined harbor spaces after the invention of steamships made maneuvering difficult.
Breakdown
tug (to pull, drag) + boat (vessel). The compound directly reflects the vessel's primary function of towing or pulling larger ships through narrow waterways and harbors.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The tiny tugboat looked like a mouse trying to move an elephant as it guided the cruise ship.”
“Captain Smith has operated tugboats in New York Harbor for over twenty years.”
“The tugboat's horn echoed across the water as it approached the stranded yacht.”
“Despite its small size, the tugboat could pull ships ten times its weight.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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