I. tug 1 /tʌɡ/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle tugged , present participle tugging )
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to pull with one or more short, quick pulls:
The woman gently tugged his arm.
tug at/on something
Joe was tugging at her sleeve.
2 . [transitive always + adverb/preposition] British English to pull a piece of clothing quickly onto your body
tug something on
Alice was tugging on a sweater.
3 . tug at sb’s heart/heartstrings written to make someone feel sympathy for someone or something
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THESAURUS
▪ pull to make something or someone move in the direction that your hands are moving:
He pulled her towards him and kissed her.
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Sam was pulling on his socks.
▪ tug to pull something suddenly with a short quick movement, often to get someone’s attention:
‘Look,’ he said, tugging at his brother’s sleeve.
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I tugged at the drawer but it wouldn’t open.
▪ drag to pull something along the ground, especially because it is heavy:
If we can’t lift the piano, we’ll have to drag it.
▪ haul to pull something big and heavy using a lot of effort, especially upwards and using a rope:
They hauled their boats further up the beach.
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fishermen hauling in their nets
▪ heave to pull or lift something very heavy, especially with one movement:
He heaved the sack of sand onto his shoulder.
▪ draw formal to pull something or someone gently in a particular direction:
Lisa reached for his hand but he drew it away.
▪ pull to be attached to a vehicle or piece of machinery and make it move behind you in the direction you are going:
Ten dogs were pulling a sledge over the ice.
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a tractor pulling a plough
▪ tow to pull a vehicle behind – used about a vehicle, a boat, or a horse pulling something using a rope or chain:
The car in front of us was towing a caravan.
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Horses were used to tow the boats along the canals.
▪ draw to pull a vehicle such as a carriage – used especially about horses doing this:
a carriage drawn by four horses
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a horse-drawn cart
II. tug 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . ( also ˈtug boat ) a small strong boat used for pulling or guiding ships into a port, up a river etc
2 . [usually singular] a sudden strong pull:
She removed the bandage with a sharp tug.
3 . [usually singular] a strong and sudden feeling
tug of
Kate felt a tug of jealousy.