Now dial. Also 7 towght, 9 dial. towt. [Origin obscure. It answers in form, but barely in sense, to OFris. tocht, EFris. tocht, togt, MDu. tocht, togt, Du. togt, draught, drawing] A length or section of an angler’s hair-line, a link, a trace; also a piece of spun yarn (E.D.D.).
1676. Cotton, Angler, II. v. 39. Take a strong small silk … and then whip it twice or thrice about the bare hook … both to prevent slipping, and also that the shanck of the hook may not cut the hairs of your Towght.
1681. Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., ii. § 6 (1689), 10. When you make lines, especially 4 or 5 of the lowermost links, Gildards or toughts.
1905. Eng. Dial. Dict., Towt, tout, towght, old rope, a piece of spun yarn, or a single strand of tarred rope used as a lashing.
