throw (thrō)

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[Middle English throwen, to turn, twist, hurl, from Old English thrāwan.]

verb: threw (thrōō), thrown (thrōn), throw·ing, throws. 

transitive verb 

1. To propel through the air with a motion of the hand or arm.
2. To discharge into the air by any means: a machine that throws tennis balls; ash that was thrown by an erupting volcano.
3. To hurl or fling with great force or speed: threw themselves on the food; jetsam that had been thrown up onto the shore.
4. 1. To force (an opponent) to the ground or floor, as in wrestling or the martial arts.
   2. To cause to fall off: The horse threw its rider.
5. Informal To cause confusion or perplexity in; disconcert or nonplus: We didn't let our worries throw us.
6. To put on or off hastily or carelessly: throw on a jacket.
7. 1. To put (suddenly or forcefully) into a given condition, position, or activity: threw him into a fit of laughter; threw some supper together; threw her leg over the arm of the chair.
   2. To devote, apply, or direct: threw all their resources into the new endeavor; threw the blame onto the others.
8. To form on a potter's wheel: throw a vase.
9. To twist (fibers) into thread.
10. Games
    1. To roll (dice).
    2. To roll (a particular combination) with dice.
    3. To discard or play (a card).
11. To send forth; project: She threw me a look of encouragement.
12. To cause (one's voice) to seem to come from a source other than oneself.
13. To cause to fall on or over something; cast: The rising sun threw shadows across the lawn. We threw sheets over the furniture before we painted the ceiling.
14. To bear (young). Used of cows or horses, for example.
15. To arrange or give (a party, for example).
16. To move (a lever or switch) in order to activate, deactivate, or control a device.
17. Informal To lose or give up (a contest, for example) purposely.
18. To abandon oneself to; have: heard the news and threw a fit.
19. To commit (oneself), especially for leniency or support: threw himself on the mercy of the court.
20. To deliver (a punch), as in boxing: threw a left hook.

intransitive verb 

To cast, fling, or hurl something.

noun 

1. The act or an instance of throwing.
2. The distance to which something is or can be thrown: a stone's throw away.
3. Games
   1. A roll or cast of dice.
   2. The combination of numbers so obtained.
4. Informal A single chance, venture, or instance: “could afford up to forty-five bucks a throw to wax sentimental over their heritage” (John Simon)
5. Sports The act of throwing or a technique used to throw an opponent in wrestling or the martial arts.
6. 1. A light coverlet, such as an afghan.
   2. A scarf or shawl.
7. 1. The radius of a circle described by a crank, cam, or similar machine part.
   2. The maximum displacement of a machine part moved by another part, such as a crank or cam.
8. Geology The amount of vertical displacement of a fault.

phrasal verbs

throw away

To get rid of as useless: threw away yesterday's newspaper.Games To discard: threw away two aces.

To fail to take advantage of: threw away a chance to make a fortune. To waste or use in a foolish way: threw away her inheritance.

To utter or perform in an offhand, seemingly careless way: The play's villain throws away the news that the house has burned down.

throw back

To hinder the progress of; check: The troops were thrown back.

To revert to an earlier type or stage in one's past.

To cause to depend; make reliant.

throw in

To insert or introduce into the course of something: threw in a few snide comments while they conversed.

To add (an extra thing or amount) with no additional charge.

To engage (a clutch, for example).

throw off

To cast out; rid oneself of: threw off all unpleasant memories.

To give off; emit: exhaust pipes throwing off fumes.

To distract, divert, or mislead: Crossing the stream, he threw the tracking dogs off. A wrong measurement threw her estimate off.

To do, finish, or accomplish in a casual or offhand way; toss off: threw off a quick response to the letter.

throw open

To make more accessible, especially suddenly or dramatically: threw open the nomination.

throw out

To give off; emit: searchlights throwing out powerful beams.

To reject or discard: The committee threw out her proposal.

To get rid of as useless: threw out the garbage.

Informal To offer, as a suggestion or plan: They sat around throwing out names of people they might want to invite to the party.

To force to leave a place or position, especially in an abrupt or unexpected manner: The convicted judge was thrown out of office. The headwaiter threw the disorderly guest out.

To disengage (a clutch, for example). To put out of alignment: threw my back out.

Baseball To put out (a base runner) by throwing the ball to the player guarding the base to which the base runner is moving.

throw over

To overturn: threw the cart over.

To abandon: threw over her boyfriend of four years; threw over the company they themselves had founded.

To reject.

throw up

To vomit.

To abandon; relinquish. She threw up her campaign for mayor.

To construct hurriedly: shoddy houses that were thrown up in a few months.

To refer to something repeatedly: She threw up his past to him whenever they argued.

To project, play, or otherwise display (a slide, videotape, or other recorded image): threw the tape of vacation highlights up on the screen.

idioms

throw cold water on

To express misgivings about or disapproval of; discourage.

throw in the towel

To admit defeat; give up.

throw oneself at

To make efforts to attract the interest or affection of (another).

throw (one's) weight around

To use power or authority, especially in an excessive or heavy-handed way.

throw the baby out with the bath water

To discard something valuable along with something not desired, usually unintentionally.

throw up (one's) hands

To indicate or express utter hopelessness: He threw up his hands and abandoned the argument.

derivatives

throẃer

noun

synonyms:

throw, cast, hurl, fling, pitch²toss These verbs mean to propel something through the air with a motion of the hand or arm. Throw is the least specific: throwing a ball; threw the life preserver to the struggling swimmer. Cast usually refers to throwing something light: cast her fishing line into the stream. Hurl and fling mean to throw with great force: “Him the Almighty Power/Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' Ethereal Sky” (John Milton) He flung the tarpaulin over the boat. Pitch often means to throw with careful aim: “a special basket in my study . . . into which I pitch letters, circulars, pamphlets and so forth” (H.G. Wells) Toss usually means to throw lightly or casually: “Campton tossed the card away” (Edith Wharton)

See also: confuse