towboat
/ˈtō-ˌbōt/ (ame, mw)
towboat — noun
1. a small, powerful work boat that helps move a larger ship or boat by pulling it
a small, powerful work boat that helps move a larger ship or boat by pulling it or pushing it through the water
Christopher watched the towboat pull the disabled ferry away from the bridge at dusk.
towboat + pull + vessel away from danger
A blue towboat nudged the cargo ship closer to the dock as the crew shouted.
towboat + move ship near dock
After the storm, the towboat guided two fishing boats back into the harbor safely.
Elise photographed a towboat waiting beside the tanker near the mouth of the river.
- tugboat
the closest general synonym and often the more common everyday term
- harbor tug
used more specifically for a tug working around docks and berths
- pushboat
usually refers to the inland barge-pushing type in sense 2
文法句型
a/the towboat
by towboat
towboat + verb
用法筆記
This is the broad meaning of the word. In American inland-river use, people often use 'towboat' more specifically for the barge-pushing vessel in sense 2.
常見錯誤
2. a low river work boat with a broad, square front, built to push linked barges al
a low river work boat with a broad, square front, built to push linked barges along inland rivers and canals
On the Ohio River, the towboat pushed twelve grain barges through the morning fog.
towboat + push barges on inland river
Darius stood on the towboat's squared bow and checked the lines before sunrise.
possessive: towboat's squared bow
The shallow towboat kept moving even where the river was too low for larger ships.
From the riverbank, Sana saw the towboat ease the barge tow around a tight bend.
At the lock, crew on the towboat separated the barges into two smaller groups.
- pushboat
the nearest synonym, especially in American river language
- river towboat
makes the inland-waterway setting explicit
- tugboat
broader term; does not always imply the flat-bowed barge pusher design
文法句型
a/the towboat
towboat + push + barges
on a towboat
用法筆記
Common in American river transport. Unlike the broader sense 1, this type is built to press against a group of barges from behind, not to pull a ship on a line.