a piece of cloth or paper used for drying things, especially your body 毛巾；手巾；抹布；纸巾 
Help yourself to a clean towel. 请随便拿一条干净毛巾用。 a hand/bath towel (= a small/large towel) 手巾；浴巾 a beach towel (= a large towel used for lying on in the sun) 沙滩太阳浴巾 I got out of the pool and wrapped my towel around me. 我从池子里出来，用毛巾裹住自己。 Pat the area dry with a clean towel. 用干净的毛巾把这个区域拍干。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- clean
- fresh
- damp
- …
- drape
- wrap
- hang
- rack
- rail
- dispenser
- …
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French toaille, of Germanic origin. The current sense of the verb dates from the mid 19th cent.
Idioms
throw in the towel
- (informal)
to admit that you have been defeated and stop trying 认输；承认失败；放弃努力 We're not going to throw in the towel just because we lost one game. 我们不会因为输了一场比赛就认输。
(in boxing 拳击运动 to throw a towel into the ring as a sign that you admit that you have been defeated 认输；承认失败；放弃努力 His corner threw in the towel near the end of the tenth round. 他的角球在第十回合快结束时认输了。