toss in the towel

Variant of towel

towel definition

towel (to̵u′əl)

noun

a piece of absorbent cloth or paper for wiping or drying things, or for drying oneself after washing or bathing a dish towel, a bath towel

Etymology: ME towaille < OFr toaille (Fr touaille) < Frank *thwahlja, akin to OHG dwahila, towel < dwahan, to wash < IE base *twak-, to bathe > OProv twaxtan, bath towel

transitive verb toweled -·eled or towelled -·elled, toweling -·el·ing or towelling -·el·ling

to wipe or dry with a towel
towel Idioms

throw in the towel

or toss in the towel
Informal to admit defeat

towel off

to dry oneself, as after bathing

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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