Also see definition of "towel" in Bible Study Dictionaries
Word Study
towel
CIDE DICTIONARY
towel, n. [OE. towaille, towail, F. touaille, LL. toacula, of Teutonic origin; cf. OHG. dwahila, swahilla, G. zwehle, fr. OHG. dwahan to wash; akin to D. dwaal a towel, AS. to wash, OS. thwahan, Icel. , Sw. två, Dan. toe, Goth. . Cf. Doily.].
A cloth used for wiping, especially one used for drying anything wet, as the person after a bath. [1913 Webster]
towel, v. t.
To beat with a stick. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
towel, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a piece of rough-surfaced absorbent cloth used for drying oneself or a thing after washing. b absorbent paper used for this. c a cloth used for drying plates, dishes, etc.; a tea towel.
2 Brit. = sanitary towel.
--v. (towelled, towelling; US toweled, toweling)
1 tr. (often refl.) wipe or dry with a towel.
2 intr. wipe or dry oneself with a towel.
3 tr. sl. thrash.
--n.
1 a a piece of rough-surfaced absorbent cloth used for drying oneself or a thing after washing. b absorbent paper used for this. c a cloth used for drying plates, dishes, etc.; a tea towel.
2 Brit. = sanitary towel.
--v. (towelled, towelling; US toweled, toweling)
1 tr. (often refl.) wipe or dry with a towel.
2 intr. wipe or dry oneself with a towel.
3 tr. sl. thrash.
Idiom
towel-horse (or -rail) a frame for hanging towels on.
Derivative
towelling n.
Etymology
ME f. OF toail(l)e f. Gmc
THESAURUS
towel
air-dry, anhydrate, bake, blot, brush, burn, cure, dehumidify, dehydrate, desiccate, drain, dry, evaporate, exsiccate, fire, insolate, kiln, mummify, parch, rub, scorch, sear, shrivel, smoke, soak up, sponge, sun, sun-dry, swab, torrefy, weazen, wipe, wither, wizenROGET THESAURUS
towel
Cleanness
N cleanness, cleanliness, purity, cleaning, purification, defecation, purgation, lustration, detersion, abstersion, epuration, mundation, ablution, lavation, colature, disinfection, drainage, sewerage, lavatory, laundry, washhouse, washerwoman, laundress, dhobi, laundryman, washerman, scavenger, dustman, sweep, white wings brush, broom, besom, mop, rake, shovel, sieve, riddle, screen, filter, blotter, napkin, cloth, maukin, malkin, handkerchief, towel, sudary, doyley, doily, duster, sponge, mop, swab, cover, drugget, wash, lotion, detergent, cathartic, purgative, purifier, disinfectant, aperient, benzene, benzine benzol, benolin, bleaching powder, chloride of lime, dentifrice, deobstruent, laxative, clean, cleanly, pure, immaculate, spotless, stainless, taintless, trig, without a stain, unstained, unspotted, unsoiled, unsullied, untainted, uninfected, sweet, sweet as a nut, neat, spruce, tidy, trim, gimp, clean as a new penny, like a cat in pattens, cleaned, kempt, abstergent, cathartic, cleansing, purifying, neatly, clean as a whistle.Punishment
VB punish, chastise, chasten, castigate, correct, inflict punishment, administer correction, deal retributive justice, cowhide, lambaste, visit upon, pay, pay out, serve out, do for, make short work of, give a lesson to, serve one right, make an example of, have a rod in pickle for, give it one, strike, deal a blow to, administer the lash, smite, slap, slap the face, smack, cuff, box the ears, spank, thwack, thump, beat, lay on, swinge, buffet, thresh, thrash, pummel, drub, leather, trounce, sandbag, baste, belabor, lace, lace one's jacket, dress, dress down, give a dressing, trim, warm, wipe, tund, cob, bang, strap, comb, lash, lick, larrup, wallop, whop, flog, scourge, whip, birch, cane, give the stick, switch, flagellate, horsewhip, bastinado, towel, rub down with an oaken towel, rib roast, dust one's jacket, fustigate, pitch into, lay about one, beat black and blue, beat to a mummy, beat to a jelly, give a black eye, tar and feather, pelt, stone, lapidate, masthead, keelhaul, execute, bring to the block, bring to the gallows, behead, decapitate, guillotine, decollate, hang, turn off, gibbet, bowstring, hang draw and quarter, shoot, decimate, burn, break on the wheel, crucify, empale, impale, flay, lynch, electrocute, gas, send to the gas chamber, torture, put on, put to the rack, picket, banish, exile, transport, expel, ostracize, rusticate, drum out, dismiss, disbar, disbench, strike off the roll, unfrock, post, suffer, suffer for, suffer punishment, be flogged, be executed, suffer the ultimate penalty, be hanged, come to the gallows, mount the gallows, swing, twist in the wind, dance upon nothing, die in one's shoes, be rightly served, be electrocuted, fry, ride the lightning, face the firing squad.Also see definition of "towel" in Bible Study Dictionaries
For further exploring for "towel" in Webster Dictionary Online
