thresh
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to separate the grain or seeds from (a cereal plant or the like) by some mechanical means, as by beating with a flail or by the action of a threshing machine.
-
to beat as if with a flail.
verb (used without object)
-
to thresh wheat, grain, etc.
-
to deliver blows as if with a flail.
noun
verb phrase
verb
-
to beat or rub stalks of ripe corn or a similar crop either with a hand implement or a machine to separate the grain from the husks and straw
-
(tr) to beat or strike
-
to toss and turn; thrash
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
threshsimple
-
threshessimple
-
have threshedperfect
-
has threshedperfect
-
am threshingprogressive
-
are threshingprogressive
-
is threshingprogressive
-
have been threshingperfect progressive
-
has been threshingperfect progressive
Past
-
threshedsimple
-
had threshedperfect
-
was threshingprogressive
-
were threshingprogressive
-
had been threshingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of thresh
before 900; Middle English threschen, thresshen, Old English threscan; cognate with German dreschen, Gothic thriskan; akin to Dutch dorsen, Old Norse thriskja
Explanation
To thresh is to harvest seeds from grain by beating or crushing it. Before the invention of machines to do this task, it took a huge amount of time to thresh grain by hand. To make this tedious task go faster, farmers used to thresh in groups, throwing threshing bees where neighbors worked together. Special sticks called flails were used to beat the seeds out of the grain, and it took about an hour to thresh a bushel of wheat. The threshing machine was invented in the late 1700s, and today most farmers thresh using a combine harvester, which harvests and threshes the grain right in the field.
Vocabulary lists containing thresh
Mythology
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Good Earth
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Wolf Hollow
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Run into a pack of predators or another tribute, like Thresh, and had to hide.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
That at least Cato, Clove, and Thresh will be on hand when the feast starts.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
Or had he been lying in wait for Thresh and just badly misjudged his location?
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
Under the hood, I silently say good-bye to Thresh and thank him for my life.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
When Thresh whirls around on me, the rock raised, I know it's no good to run.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
