thrash

[thrash]

verb (used with object)

1. to beat soundly in punishment; flog.

   Synonyms: drub, maul

2. to defeat thoroughly.

   The home team thrashed the visitors.

3. Nautical.,  to force (a close-hauled sailing ship under heavy canvas) against a strong wind or sea.

4. thresh.

verb (used without object)

1. to toss, or plunge about.

2. Nautical.,  to make way against the wind, tide, etc.; beat.

3. thresh.

noun

1. an act or instance of thrashing; beating; blow.

2. thresh.

3. Swimming.,  the upward and downward movement of the legs, as in the crawl.

4. British Slang.,  a party, usually with drinks.

verb phrase

1. thrash out / over,  to talk over thoroughly and vigorously in order to reach a decision, conclusion, or understanding; discuss exhaustively. Also thresh outover.

thrash

/ θræʃ /

verb

1. (tr) to beat soundly, as with a whip or stick

2. (tr) to defeat totally; overwhelm

3. (intr) to beat or plunge about in a wild manner

4. (intr) to move the legs up and down in the water, as in certain swimming strokes

5. to sail (a boat) against the wind or tide or (of a boat) to sail in this way

6. another word for thresh

noun

1. the act of thrashing; blow; beating

2. informal,  a party or similar social gathering

Other Word Forms

• unthrashed adjective
• well-thrashed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of thrash¹

before 900; Middle English thrasshen, variant of thresshen to thresh

Word History and Origins

Origin of thrash¹

Old English threscan; related to Old High German dreskan, Old Norse thriskja

Synonym Study

See beat.

Example Sentences

The two of them share an understanding that they should be gentle giants who look on the bright side of getting thrashed, made to bleed, and being knocked unconscious for other people’s entertainment.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Futures for the precious metal haven’t surged so much in a year since 1979, when a global energy crisis fueled an inflationary shock that thrashed the world’s economy.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Less than a month ago, the feeling around Arsenal was very different: they beat London City 4-1 in their opening league game and then thrashed West Ham 5-1.

Read more on BBC

It will take longer to thrash out the nuts and bolts that would need to underpin a complex agreement.

Read more on BBC

One grandee tells me: "We need to regain our senses and remember we were totally thrashed last summer and have not yet been forgiven. More shenanigans won't help."

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• beat up 
• clobber 
• crush 
• defeat 
• maul 
• overwhelm 
• paste 
• pummel 
• rout 
• spank 
• trounce 
• whip