tug

Noun

• a powerful small boat designed to pull or push larger ships

• a sudden abrupt pull

Verb

• struggle in opposition
  • She tugged and wrestled with her conflicts
    

• pull or strain hard at
  • Each oar was tugged by several men
    

• move by pulling hard
  • The horse finally tugged the cart out of the mud
    

• carry with difficulty
  • You'll have to lug this suitcase
    

• tow (a vessel) with a tug
  • The tugboat tugged the freighter into the harbor
    

• strive and make an effort to reach a goal
  • She tugged for years to make a decent living
    
  • We have to push a little to make the deadline!
    
  • She is driving away at her doctoral thesis
    

• pull hard
  • The prisoner tugged at the chains
    
  • This movie tugs at the heart strings
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  tugboat , towboat , tower , jerk , lug , tote , labor , labour , push , drive