throw
/θrəʊ
/verb (throws, throwing; past threw /θruː/; past participle thrown /θrəʊn/)
1 [with object and usually with adverbial] Propel (something) with force through the air by a movement of the arm and hand: I threw a brick through the window...
- He said the boys threw lumps of concrete and bricks at his client's window and doors.
- In once lightening movement she threw a dagger from her boot towards the soldier.
- He palmed another stone and threw it again, with more force.
Synonyms
hurl, toss, fling, pitch, cast, lob, launch, flip, catapult, shy, dash, aim, direct, project, propel, send, bowl
informal chuck, heave, sling, buzz, whang, bung
North American informal peg
Australian informal hoy
New Zealand informal bish
1.1 [with object and adverbial or complement] Push or force (someone or something) violently and suddenly into a particular physical position or state: the pilot and one passenger were thrown clear and survived the door was thrown open and a uniformed guard entered the room...
- With that, a force suddenly threw us both out of the circle again.
- Suddenly the ship was thrown violently to the right.
- His SUV was suddenly thrown to the side violently when a truck came barreling down from the left side of the intersection.
Synonyms
move quickly/suddenly, push suddenly/violently, thrust, fling, propel, shoot, slam, smack, bang, crash, thump, push, force
informal plonk
1.2Put in place or erect quickly: the stewards had thrown a cordon across the fairway...
- A police cordon will be thrown around streets near Bank station on Sunday and the incident will also involve staff at University College Hospital.
- A tight security cordon has been thrown up around the centre to secure the privacy of relatives of the missing.
- One time I went down and went to the house and walked through the Secret Service cordon that had been thrown around the house.
1.3Move (a part of the body) quickly or suddenly in a particular direction: she threw her head back and laughed...
- He cleared his throat, thumped on his chest a bit, then threw his arms out wide.
- Her arms were thrown up in the air in exasperation, she turning away momentarily.
- Without stopping his movement, Trent threw his arms around Ally and she did the same to him.
1.4Project or cast (light or shadow) in a particular direction: a chandelier threw its bright light over the walls...
- The men cross the dunes; afternoon light throws long shadows onto the scrub.
- The light threw shadows around the cluttered room as I rubbed my eyes, and sighed at the lines on the drawing board.
- She watched the shadow that was thrown on the wall.
Synonyms
project, cast, send, give off, emit, radiate
1.5Deliver (a punch): Cheryl drew back her fist and threw another punch...
- She took several steps and threw a quick right punch at the man, but he side stepped and grabbed her arm.
- You smash them until they are unable to make a fist, much less throw a punch.
- The first punch I threw at Rusty landed, but he managed to block everything else.
Synonyms
deliver, give, land
1.6Direct a particular kind of look or facial expression: she threw a withering glance at him...
- I guessed he must be getting his fair share of the evil eye too, if the bewildered expression he threw her was anything to go by.
- He threw one last glance in the direction Cat had gone before yelling ‘Come and get me, you worms!’
Synonyms
direct, cast, send, dart, shoot, bestow on, give
1.7Project (one’s voice) so that it appears to come from someone or something else, as in ventriloquism: I can throw my voice—I could make a fortune as a medium...
- He points it at them and uses it as a ventriloquist's dummy, throwing his voice into it and waggling it about to make it look as though they're talking.
1.8 (throw something off/on) Put on or take off (a garment) hastily: I tumbled out of bed, threw on my tracksuit, and joined the others...
- Some of the villagers went into a panic, and hastily threw some clothing on and tried to run.
- I frantically scramble out of bed and throw some clothes on whilst yelling ‘Hang on a sec!’
- He threw them on and slipped on some black loafers next to his bed.
Synonyms
put on quickly, pull on, drag on, don quickly, slip into
1.9Move (a switch or lever) so as to operate a device: at the trolley portal the operator had to manually throw the switch using a switch iron...
- Danby reached for it, but Nikola stretched his hand out toward the device and threw a switch.
- At the trolley portal the operator had to manually throw the switch using a switch iron.
- When the parents arrive it's as if a switch has been thrown and behaviour patterns set back twenty or more years.
Synonyms
operate, switch on, click on, engage, move
1.10Roll (dice): he reached out and put the dice in the shaker and threw them...
- It was an interruption of his concentration upon the interminable playing of dominoes, or cards, or throwing dice.
- The sample plot in Figure 1 is the outcome of a pair of dice thrown a large number of times.
- People are chattering and laughing; dice are being thrown; there is the constant clattering of mah-jong tiles.
1.11Obtain (a specified number) by rolling dice.Finally he took the dice and started throwing an endless number of points.
1.12 informal Lose (a race or contest) intentionally, especially in return for a bribe: the man who throws a race is a crook for life...
- I've been wondering for a while whether he was persuaded to take a bribe in return for throwing the match.
- The case is based on tapes of a conversation in which police say he discussed payments for himself and others in return for throwing a match.
- We are in no way imputing that he tried to bribe him to throw a match.
1.13 Cricket Bowl (the ball) with an unlawful bent arm action.The Laws of Cricket say that a delivery must be fair, and that for a delivery to be fair the ball must not be thrown....
- The rules simply say that for a delivery to be fair, the ball must be bowled, not thrown.
1.14(Of a horse) lose (a shoe).Just before arriving in the village, her majesty's horse threw a shoe and she walked her animal the rest of the way to the stable to have it looked at....
- Horses throw shoes, eat food and destroy tack at an alarming rate.
2 [with object and adverbial] Send suddenly into a particular state or condition: he threw all her emotions into turmoil the bond market was thrown into confusion...
- This is about the fifth time in three years that the place has been thrown into utter confusion.
- The airport, which had to be shut down for two hours, was thrown into confusion as news of the incident reached passengers.
- The next morning, Alexis woke early and was instantly thrown into confusion at the presence of the blanket.
2.1Put (someone) in a particular place or state in a rough, abrupt, or summary fashion: these guys should be thrown in jail...
- While he was on his way home the police stopped him, roughed him up some more, and threw him into a jail cell.
- The next day, my girlfriend told me the news but assured me that we were small fish to the cops, who were more interested in shutting down our agency than in throwing us all in jail.
- He bragged of his ability to throw anyone in jail at whim.
2.2 [with object] Disconcert; confuse: she frowned, thrown by this apparent change of tack...
- But I wasn't, so I just carried on with the show, a little shaken and thrown.
- That's why I was so thrown off when the door suddenly opened and I ended up falling hard against something very warm.
- He is momentarily thrown by the comparison, but quickly warms to the topic.
Synonyms
disconcert, unnerve, fluster, ruffle, flurry, agitate, harass, upset, disturb, discomfit, put off, put someone off their stroke, throw off balance, make nervous, discompose, discountenance, cause someone to lose their composure;
perturb, unsettle, bother, affect, worry, disquiet, trouble, confuse
informal rattle, faze, put into a flap, throw into a tizz, discombobulate, shake up
3 [with object] Send (one’s opponent) to the ground in wrestling, judo, or similar activity: in the final Arnaud was too strong, and threw Hughes twice...
- He had a small body but he did marvelous judo, and could throw larger opponents without using any power.
- The art also emphasizes throwing the opponent - much like in judo - as well as various arm locks.
- He had a disastrous opening performance on Monday in the wrestling, being thrown by Romeo, who took an early lead in the competition.
Synonyms
fell, throw to the ground, hurl to the ground, unbalance, bring down, floor, prostrate
3.1(Of a horse) unseat (its rider): their horse threw its jockey before the race had started...
- He added it was dangerous to have an eagle with a mounted hunt, as it could lead to a horse throwing a rider.
- The accident happened at 10.30 am last Saturday when a horse threw its rider, who wore a helmet.
- This horse likes to throw his riders; I knew he had something in store for me.
Synonyms
unseat, dislodge, upset, bring down
4 [with object] Form (ceramic ware) on a potter’s wheel: further on a potter was throwing pots...
- The pots are turned on a wheel, much as ceramic pots are thrown.
- Similarly, simple examination of a pottery vessel should reveal whether it was hand-coiled or thrown on a wheel.
- I used to throw on the wheel, but have let it go in favor of handbuilding.
Synonyms
shape, form, mould, fashion
4.1Turn (wood or other material) on a lathe.
4.2Twist (silk or other fabrics) into thread or yarn.
5 [with object] Have (a fit or tantrum): occasionally a small child will throw a tantrum when denied something...
- There is a tendency to throw temperamental fits and tantrums, which are often directed at close associates and loved ones.
- There'll be grades to keep up, growing up to do, boys to handle, hearts to mend, even to be broken, tantrums to be thrown.
- In fact, I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone throw such a tantrum.
6 [with object] Give or hold (a party): he threw a huge farewell party for them...
- The throng enjoyed a huge party thrown by the host committee at the city's aquarium following Media Day.
- My brother's also throwing a huge party tonight and half the island's population will be there.
- His best friend Andy was throwing a huge Christmas party, and since he was home on break he decided to go.
Synonyms
give, host, hold, have, provide, put on, lay on, arrange, organize
7 [with object] (Of an animal) give birth to (young, especially of a specified kind): sometimes a completely black calf is thrown
noun
1An act of throwing something: Holding’s throw hit the stumps...
- A steal from last June, the southpaw started the inning with a 93 mph fastball, the only velocity the pitch hit in four throws.
- By the way, whenever umpires are hit by throws, the ball remains alive and hopefully so does the umpire.
- They are happily engrossed in their game, though there is no audience to see and applaud a great throw or a neat catch or a lovely shot.
Synonyms
lob, pitch, flip, shy, go;
bowl, ball;
hurl, toss, fling, cast
informal chuck, heave, sling
1.1An act of throwing one’s opponent in wrestling, judo, or a similar sport: a shoulder throw...
- After a couple of years, adults become strong and have enough endurance to be ready to practice the more vigorous judo throws and pins.
- Though he was said to have a high judo rank, his throws didn't resemble judo techniques.
- Many of the throws in Judo will simply not work if you don't time them correctly.
1.2 Cricket An illegitimate delivery considered to have been thrown rather than properly bowled.
1.3 short for throw of the dice below. this decision represents something of a final throw people who hazard their entire company on one major throw...
- But it was made clear to him that his recommendation would be the final throw.
- It is a work like no other and, with the first performance taking place in 1761, is pretty much the final throw of the Baroque.
- Similarly, Calvary was the final throw in Satan's power-bid for world dominion.
2A light cover for furniture.The home collection consists of soft furnishing products ranging from bed throws to duvet covers to cushions curtain panels and table linen....
- Stretching wide and stifling a yawn he threw back the several throws and duvets that covered him.
- I sit down on the low sofa, covered by an afghan throw.
3 (a throw) informal Used to indicate how much a single item, turn, or attempt costs: he was offering to draw on-the-spot portraits at £25 a throw...
- Conduit reckons its service will be cheaper than many rival services with calls costing from 20p a throw, compared to nearer 40p.
- With tickets costing between £50 and £80 a throw, the entertainment can seem extravagant for a bunch of dribbling toddlers.
- Although they look as if they could be done by children, they still cost about £300,000 a throw.
Synonyms
each, apiece, per item, for one
4 Geology The extent of vertical displacement in a fault.In addition, large-scale isoclinal folds and normal faults with throws exceeding 10m locally occur....
- The cumulative throw across the South Alkyonides Fault decreases towards its western and eastern ends.
- The lavas are cut by steep normal faults which have a maximum throw of a few hundred metres at slow spreading centres, and smaller throws at faster spreading rates.
5A machine or device by or on which an object is turned while being shaped.
6 [usually in singular] The action or motion of a slide valve or of a crank, eccentric wheel, or cam.
6.1The distance moved by the pointer of an instrument.
Phrases
throw away the key
throw dust in someone's eyes
throw good money after bad
throw one's hand in
throw in the towel (or sponge)
throw of the dice
throw oneself on someone's mercy
throw up one's hands
Phrasal verbs
be thrown back on
throw oneself at
throw something away
throw something down
throw something in
throw oneself into
throw off
throw off at
throw something off
throw oneself on (or upon)
throw something open
throw someone out
throw something out
throw someone over
throw people together
throw something together
throw up
throw something up
Derivatives
throwable
- He didn't come here to become a throwable statue.
- Before reading this piece, make sure you haven't just eaten, and that there are no throwable objects within reach.
- Just to be safe I'll store anything throwable in the cellar, though.
Origin
Old English thrāwan 'to twist, turn', of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch draaien and German drehen, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin terere 'to rub', Greek teirein 'wear out'. sense 1 of the verb, expressing propulsion and sudden action, dates from Middle English.
A word which at first meant ‘to twist’ or ‘to turn’, and is related to thread. The sense ‘to give a party’, dating from the 1920s, probably came from the meaning ‘to perform a leap or somersault’, whereas the idea of ‘throwing’ a game or match is likely to be short for throw away. When you withdraw from a contest you throw your hand in. The idea here is of a player in a card game throwing their hand down on the table as a signal that they are withdrawing from the game. The origins of throw in the towel or throw in the sponge lie in the boxing ring. Boxers or their trainers traditionally signal that they are conceding defeat by throwing the towel or sponge used to wipe the contestant's face into the middle of the ring. The earliest version of the phrase is throw up the sponge, dating from the 1860s. The idea that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones, dates from the 17th century. See also baby