“Toes” or “Tows”—Which to use?

“Toes” or “Tows”

Overview

toes / tows are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term. 👇

Definitions

toes: (noun) one of the digits of the foot. (noun) the part of footwear that provides a covering for the toes. (noun) forepart of a hoof. (noun) (golf) the part of a clubhead farthest from the shaft. (verb) walk so that the toes assume an indicated position or direction. (verb) drive obliquely. (verb) hit (a golf ball) with the toe of the club. (verb) drive (a golf ball) with the toe of the club. (verb) touch with the toe.

tows: (noun) the act of hauling something (as a vehicle) by means of a hitch or rope. (verb) drag behind.

Pronunciation

toes: t·OW·z

tows: t·OW·z

Trends

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Examples in Context

Examples of “toes”

…excessive pressure on her big toes.
…support, dancers would pad their toes for comfort and rely on…
…groups largely according to their toes and teeth.
…were only stiffened at the toes, making them nearly silent.
…encases and supports the dancer's toes.
Twinkle Toes (Writer, animated DVD feature)
…encases and supports the dancer's toes.
…fingers and bells on her toes and a bone in her…
…boots with pointe or rounded toes, were increasingly popular.
…(on the tips of their toes) for extended periods of time.

Examples of “tows”

…– The Austro-Hungarian submarine U-5 tows a kite balloon, apparently to…
…slopes, a T-bars, four rope tows and a small base lodge.

(Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions drawn from WordNet.)

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