throw

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 pound10 a throw).
Phrases and idioms:
throw 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.
Derivatives:
throwable adj. thrower n. (also in comb.).
Etymology: OE thrawan twist, turn f. WG