A towline is the rope or cable used to pull one vehicle or boat behind another. It is the same thing as a towrope — the two words mean the same, and you can use either. Towline sounds slightly more technical and is a little more common on the water; towrope is what most people say about cars.

A towline一條 towline is the rope or cable used to pull one vehicle or boat behind another是用來把一輛車或一艘船拖在另一輛/艘後面的繩索或纜線 It is the same thing as a towrope它跟 towrope 是同一個東西 — the two words mean the same這兩個字意思相同 and you can use either你用哪個都可以 Towline sounds slightly more technical towline 聽起來稍微專業一點 and is a little more common on the water在水上比較常用 towrope is what most people say about cars而大部分人講車子的時候會說 towrope

The word carries a picture with it. Somebody at the front is doing the pulling; somebody at the back has no power of their own and is just following, connected by that one line.

The word carries a picture with it這個字帶著一幅畫面 Somebody at the front is doing the pulling前面有人在拉 somebody at the back has no power of their own後面的東西自己沒有動力 and is just following只是被帶著走 connected by that one line靠那一條線連著

A broken-down car being dragged to the garage. A boat with a dead engine being brought back into harbour. A water-skier holding on behind a speedboat — that is a towline too. Even a glider (a plane with no engine) goes up on a towline behind a real plane, and then lets go.

A broken-down car being dragged to the garage一輛拋錨的車被拖去修車廠 A boat with a dead engine being brought back into harbour一艘引擎壞掉的船被拖回港口 A water-skier holding on behind a speedboat一個抓著繩子跟在快艇後面的滑水者 — that is a towline too這也是一條 towline Even a glider (a plane with no engine)連滑翔機（沒有引擎的飛機） goes up on a towline behind a real plane都是靠一條 towline 跟在一架真的飛機後面升空 and then lets go然後才放開

Because the picture is so clear, people also use it about life. To be 'on someone's towline' means you are not moving under your own power any more — someone else is pulling you along. That use is not common, but if you meet it, that is what it means.

Because the picture is so clear因為這個畫面很清楚 people also use it about life人們也會用它來說人生 To be 'on someone's towline'「在某人的 towline 上」 means you are not moving under your own power any more意思是你不再靠自己的力量前進 — someone else is pulling you along而是別人在拉著你走 That use is not common這種用法不常見 but if you meet it不過如果你遇到了 that is what it means意思就是這樣

A practical note that tells you the word is real and not just a dictionary entry: a towline must never be a thin rope. It stores enormous force, and if it snaps it whips back hard enough to hurt someone. Sailors and drivers both take this seriously.

A practical note一個實際的提醒 that tells you the word is real and not just a dictionary entry告訴你這個字是真實存在的，不只是字典裡的詞條 a towline must never be a thin rope towline 絕對不能是一條細繩 It stores enormous force它儲存著巨大的力量 and if it snaps如果它斷掉 it whips back hard enough to hurt someone反彈回來的力道足以傷人 Sailors and drivers both take this seriously船員和司機都很認真看待這件事