No. 10,979 in German
schlepptau
"Schlepptau" means "towline" or "towrope" in English.
In a sentence
Das Segelboot war im Notfall auf das Schlepptau eines Motorbootes angewiesen.
The sailboat relied on the tow line of a motorboat in an emergency.
Here, 'Schlepptau' is used in its literal sense to refer to the towline connecting two vehicles, one pulling the other.
Im übertragenen Sinne nahm der erfahrene Mitarbeiter den Neuling im Schlepptau.
Metaphorically, the experienced worker took the beginner under their wing.
In this case, 'im Schlepptau' is used figuratively to indicate guiding or taking responsibility for someone.
Die Katze hatte ein Stück Seil im Schlepptau, als sie durch das Zimmer rannte.
The cat dragged a piece of rope along as it ran through the room.
In this sentence, 'im Schlepptau' describes the literal dragging of an object by an entity while moving.
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