TUGBOAT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tugboat mean? 

• TUGBOAT (noun)
  The noun TUGBOAT has 1 sense:

1. a powerful small boat designed to pull or push larger ships

  Familiarity information: TUGBOAT used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TUGBOAT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A powerful small boat designed to pull or push larger ships

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

towboat; tower; tug; tugboat

Hypernyms ("tugboat" is a kind of...):

boat (a small vessel for travel on water)

Meronyms (parts of "tugboat"):

helm (steering mechanism for a vessel; a mechanical device by which a vessel is steered)