The difference between Pull and Tow

When used as nouns, pull means an act of pulling (applying force), whereas tow means the act of towing and the condition of being towed.

When used as verbs, pull means to apply a force to (an object) so that it comes toward the person or thing applying the force, whereas tow means to pull something behind one using a line or chain.

check bellow for the other definitions of Pull and Tow

  1. Pull as a noun:

    An act of pulling (applying force)

    Examples:

    "He gave the hair a sharp pull and it came out."

  2. Pull as a noun:

    An attractive force which causes motion towards the source

    Examples:

    "The spaceship came under the pull of the gas giant."

    "iron fillings drawn by the pull of a magnet"

    "She took a pull on her cigarette."

  3. Pull as a noun:

    Any device meant to be pulled, as a lever, knob, handle, or rope

    Examples:

    "a zipper pull"

  4. Pull as a noun (slang, dated):

    Something in one's favour in a comparison or a contest; an advantage; means of influencing.

    Examples:

    "In weights the favourite had the pull."

  5. Pull as a noun:

    Appeal or attraction (as of a movie star)

  6. Pull as a noun (Internet, uncountable):

    The situation where a client sends out a request for data from a server, as in server pull, pull technology

  7. Pull as a noun:

    A journey made by rowing

  8. Pull as a noun (dated):

    A contest; a struggle.

    Examples:

    "a wrestling pull"

    "rfquotek Carew"

  9. Pull as a noun (obsolete, poetic):

    Loss or violence suffered.

  10. Pull as a noun (slang):

    The act of drinking.

    Examples:

    "to take a pull at a mug of beer"

    "rfquotek Charles Dickens"

  11. Pull as a noun (cricket):

    A kind of stroke by which a leg ball is sent to the off side, or an off ball to the side.

  12. Pull as a noun (golf):

    A mishit shot which travels in a straight line and (for a right-handed player) left of the intended path.

  1. Pull as a verb (transitive, intransitive):

    To apply a force to (an object) so that it comes toward the person or thing applying the force.

    Examples:

    "When I give the signal, pull the rope."

    "You're going to have to pull harder to get that cork out of the bottle."

  2. Pull as a verb:

    To gather with the hand, or by drawing toward oneself; to pluck.

    Examples:

    "to pull fruit from a tree; to pull flax; to pull a finch"

  3. Pull as a verb:

    To attract or net; to pull in.

  4. Pull as a verb:

    To draw apart; to tear; to rend.

  5. Pull as a verb (ambitransitive, UK, Ireland, slang):

    To persuade (someone) to have sex with one.

    Examples:

    "I pulled at the club last night."

    "He's pulled that bird over there."

  6. Pull as a verb (transitive):

    To remove (something), especially from public circulation or availability.

    Examples:

    "Each day, they pulled the old bread and set out fresh loaves."

  7. Pull as a verb (transitive, informal):

    To do or perform.

    Examples:

    "He regularly pulls 12-hour days, sometimes 14."

    "You'll be sent home if you pull another stunt like that."

  8. Pull as a verb (transitive):

    To retrieve or generate for use.

    Examples:

    "I'll have to pull a part number for that."

  9. Pull as a verb:

    To toss a frisbee with the intention of launching the disc across the length of a field.

  10. Pull as a verb (intransitive):

    To row.

  11. Pull as a verb (transitive):

    To strain (a muscle, tendon, ligament, etc.).

  12. Pull as a verb (video games, ambitransitive):

    To draw (a hostile non-player character) into combat, or toward or away from some location or target.

  13. Pull as a verb:

    To score a certain amount of points in a sport.

  14. Pull as a verb (horse-racing):

    To hold back, and so prevent from winning.

    Examples:

    "The favourite was pulled."

  15. Pull as a verb (printing, dated):

    To take or make (a proof or impression); so called because hand presses were worked by pulling a lever.

  16. Pull as a verb (cricket, golf):

    To strike the ball in a particular manner. (See noun sense.)

  17. Pull as a verb (UK):

    To draw beer from a pump, keg, or other source.

    Examples:

    "Let's stop at Finnigan's. The barman pulls a good pint."

  18. Pull as a verb (rail transportation, US, of a railroad car):

    To pull out from a yard or station; to leave.

  1. Tow as a verb (transitive):

    To pull something behind one using a line or chain; to haul.

  2. Tow as a verb (running, cycling etc.):

    To aid someone behind by shielding them from wind resistance.

  1. Tow as a noun:

    The act of towing and the condition of being towed.

    Examples:

    "It isn't the car's battery; I think I need a tow."

  2. Tow as a noun:

    Something, such as a tugboat, that tows.

  3. Tow as a noun:

    Something, such as a barge, that is towed.

  4. Tow as a noun:

    A rope or cable used in towing.

  1. Tow as a noun:

    An untwisted bundle of fibers such as cellulose acetate, flax, hemp or jute.

Compare words:

Compare with synonyms and related words: