If you tug something or tug at it, you give it a quick and usually strong pull. A little boy came running up and tugged at his sleeve excitedly She kicked him, tugging his thick hair. Tug is also a noun. I felt a tug at my sleeve
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
To pull or draw with great effort; to draw along with continued exertion; to haul along; to tow; as, to tug a loaded cart; to tug a ship into port
a sudden abrupt pull struggle in opposition; "She tugged and wrestled with her conflicts" pull hard; "The prisoner tugged at the chains"; "This movie tugs at the heart strings" 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" 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