To tow means ‘to pull or haul with a chain, rope, or other device’ and the noun tow refers to the act of towing, to the thing being towed (especially when it is a boat or boats), and also to the vehicle that tows something. More broadly, a…
To hitch means ‘to tie or fasten something with a rope or strap’ and, more specifically, to put a harness on an animal and tie it to a vehicle. Hitch also means ‘to move up or raise.’ As an informal term, if you get hitched it means that you marry someone. As a noun, a hitch is a knot to hitch something. An unexpected problem can also be called a hitch. Informally, in US English, a hitch is also a period of military service, though…
A calf is a young domestic cow, or the young of other animals like elephants, seals, and whales. In clothing, calf refers to calfskin leather. Informally, a silly man or boy can also be called a calf, although this meaning is rarely heard now. Unrelatedly, a calf is also the fleshy part of the back of the leg below the knee…
To gauge means ‘to determine the exact dimensions, size, force or quantity of something.’ However, it also means ‘to estimate’ and ‘to judge.’ As a noun, a gauge is an instrument for taking measurements and also a criterion used to make an estimation.’ In military terms or when we talk about guns, gauge means ‘a unit of measure of the inner diameter of a shotgun barrel’…
