θrəu v. & n. --v.tr. (past
threw;
past part. thrown) 1
propel with some force
through the air or in a
particular direction. 2 force violently
into a specified
position or
state (the
ship was thrown on the rocks; threw
themselves down). 3
compel suddenly to be in a specified
condition (was thrown
out of work). 4
turn or
move (part of the body) quickly or suddenly (threw an arm out). 5
project or
cast (light, a
shadow, a spell, etc.). 6 a
bring to the ground in wrestling. b (of a horse)
unseat (its rider). 7 colloq.
disconcert (the
question threw me
for a moment). 8 (foll. by
on,
off, etc.) put (clothes etc.) hastily on or off etc. 9 a
cause (dice) to
fall on a
table. b
obtain (a specified number) by throwing
dice. 10 cause to pass or
extend suddenly to
another state or position (threw in the
army; threw a bridge
across the river). 11 move (a
switch or lever) so as to
operate it. 12 a
form (ceramic ware) on a potter's
wheel. b turn (wood etc.) on a
lathe. 13
have (a fit or
tantrum etc.). 14
give (a party). 15 colloq.
lose (a
contest or race etc.) intentionally. 16 Cricket bowl (a ball) with an
illegitimate sudden straightening of the
elbow. 17 (of a snake) cast (its skin). 18 (of an animal) give
birth to (young). 19
twist (silk etc.) into
thread or
yarn. 20 (often foll. by into) put into another form or
language etc. --n. 1 an
act of throwing. 2 the
distance a
thing is or
may be thrown (a
record throw with the hammer). 3 the act of
being thrown in wrestling. 4 Geol. & Mining a a
fault in
strata. b the
amount of
vertical displacement caused by
this. 5 a
machine or
device giving
rapid rotary motion. 6 a the
movement of a crank or
cam etc. b the
extent of this. 7 the distance moved by the
pointer of an
instrument etc. 8 (in full throw rug) US a a
light cover for
furniture. b a light
rug. 9 (prec. by a) sl.
each;
per item (sold at ø10 a throw). øthrow
about (or around) 1 throw in
various directions. 2
spend (one's money) ostentatiously. throw
away 1
discard as
useless or
unwanted. 2
waste or
fail to
make use of (an
opportunity etc.). 3 discard (a card). 4 Theatr.
speak (lines) with
deliberate underemphasis. 5 (in
passive;
often foll. by on) be wasted (the
advice was thrown away on him). throw-away adj. 1
meant to be thrown away
after (one) use. 2 (of lines etc.) deliberately underemphasized. --n. a thing to be thrown away after (one) use. throw
back 1
revert to
ancestral character. 2 (usu. in passive; foll. by on) compel to
rely on (was thrown back on
his savings). throw-back n. 1
reversion to ancestral character. 2 an
instance of this. throw
cold water on see COLD. throw down cause to fall. throw down the gauntlet (or glove)
issue a
challenge. throw
dust in a person's eyes
mislead a
person by misrepresentation or
distraction. throw
good money after
bad incur further loss in a
hopeless attempt to
recoup a
previous loss. throw one's
hand in 1
abandon one's chances in a card game,
esp. poker. 2 give
up;
withdraw from a contest. throw in 1
interpose (a
word or remark). 2
include at no
extra cost. 3 throw (a football) from the
edge of the pitch
where it
has gone out of
play. 4 Cricket
return (the ball) from the
outfield. 5 Cards give (a player) the lead, to the player's
disadvantage. throw-in n. the throwing in of a
football during play. throw in one's
lot with see LOT. throw in the
towel admit defeat. throw light on see
LIGHT(1). throw off 1 discard;
contrive to
get rid of. 2
write or utter in an
offhand manner. 3 (of hounds or a hunt)
begin hunting; make a
start. throw-off the start in a
hunt or race. throw
oneself at
seek blatantly as a
spouse or
sexual partner. throw oneself into
engage vigorously
in. throw oneself on (or upon) 1 rely completely on. 2
attack. throw
open (often foll. by to) 1 cause to be suddenly or
widely open. 2 make
accessible. throw out 1 put out forcibly or suddenly. 2 discard as unwanted. 3
expel (a
troublemaker etc.). 4
build (a
wing of a
house, a
pier, or a projecting or
prominent thing). 5 put
forward tentatively. 6
reject (a
proposal or bill in Parliament). 7
confuse or
distract (a person
speaking,
thinking, or acting) from the
matter in hand. 8 Cricket &
Baseball put out (an opponent) by throwing the ball to the
wicket or base. throw
over desert or abandon. throw stones cast aspersions. throw
together 1
assemble hastily. 2 bring into
casual contact. throw up 1 abandon. 2
resign from. 3 colloq.
vomit. 4
erect hastily. 5 bring to
notice. 6
lift (a sash-window) quickly. throw up (or in) the
sponge 1 (of a
boxer or his attendant) throw the sponge used
between rounds into the air as a
token of defeat. 2 abandon a contest; admit defeat. throw one's
weight about (or around) colloq. act with
unpleasant self-assertiveness. øøthrowable adj. thrower n. (also in comb.). [OE thrawan twist, turn f. WG]