This is the 10979th most frequent German word.
schlepptau
"Schlepptau" means "towline" or "towrope" in English.
Here, 'Schlepptau' is used in its literal sense to refer to the towline connecting two vehicles, one pulling the other.
Das Segelboot war im Notfall auf das Schlepptau eines Motorbootes angewiesen.
The sailboat relied on the tow line of a motorboat in an emergency.
In this case, 'im Schlepptau' is used figuratively to indicate guiding or taking responsibility for someone.
Im übertragenen Sinne nahm der erfahrene Mitarbeiter den Neuling im Schlepptau.
Metaphorically, the experienced worker took the beginner under their wing.
In this sentence, 'im Schlepptau' describes the literal dragging of an object by an entity while moving.