towel

towel — noun

1. a soft cloth or paper sheet that you use to dry your body, hands, or other wet t

1.nounA1
Definition

a soft cloth or paper sheet that you use to dry your body, hands, or other wet things

Example

Tara dried her hands on a clean towel after washing them.

collocation: clean towel / dry hands with a towel

The hotel leaves two fresh white towels in every room for guests.

collocation: fresh towels / white towels

Common collocations
  • bath towel
  • hand towel
  • paper towel
  • kitchen towel
  • clean towel
  • damp towel
  • towel rack
  • towel rail
Synonyms
  • cloth

    a general term for any piece of fabric; not limited to drying

  • rag

    usually an old, worn piece of cloth used for cleaning, not for personal drying

Idioms

throw in the towel

idiom

To accept that you have lost and give up trying.

After three failed attempts, Maya threw in the towel and asked for help.

Did the team throw in the towel after losing the first match?

towel — verb

Word family

  • towelling
    nounB2
  • towelette
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A towel is specifically an absorbent piece of cloth or paper meant for drying the body, hands, or surfaces after washing. Cloth is the broadest term and can refer to any woven fabric, whether for drying, cleaning, covering, or clothing. A rag is typically a torn or worn piece of cloth used for household cleaning or dusting — it carries a less-clean connotation and is not used for personal drying. A napkin (or serviette) is a small square of cloth or paper used at the table to wipe the mouth and hands during a meal. For example, you would dry your hands with a towel after washing, wipe a spill with a rag, and dab your mouth with a napkin while eating.

towel ↗cloth ↗rag ↗napkin ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • dry with a towel
  • wrap in a towel
  • fold a towel
  • hang a towel

Prepositions

  • with a towel
  • on a towel
  • over a towel rail

Etymology

Proto-GermanicFrankishOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'towel' comes from Old French 'toaille', meaning a cloth for washing or drying. This French term probably came from a Frankish (Germanic) word related to washing, and can be traced further back to the Germanic root *þwahlą, which referred to a bath or the act of washing.