tugging
[ˈtʌɡɪŋ]
When someone or something tugs at your sleeve or attention, they're gently pulling or drawing you towards them.
Tugging usually means to pull or draw something or someone with a gentle but firm force, often in a way that's not too strong or aggressive. We might say our dog is tugging on the leash when it tries to lead us somewhere, or a child is tugging at their parent's hand when they want to get close. Sometimes we talk about ideas or emotions tugging at someone's heart, which means they're feeling a strong pull towards something, like a desire or a memory.
How common is "tugging"?
Word tugging is considered rare in modern English.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.
Definitions
verb
To pull or drag with great effort
Example: The police officers tugged the drunkard out of the pub.
noun
The action of something that tugs; a pull.
Real examples of "tugging" in context
