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

But the champions bounced back to thrash Bristol Bears 40-15 at home on Saturday to win a feisty West Country derby and pick up their fourth win of the season.

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While another of Asean's fundamental principles is settling disputes peacefully, in reality it "does not really have a major appetite for conflicting countries to sit down and thrash things out", notes Prof Liow.

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Wind thrashes around the car park in the dim dawn light, rattling the corrugated supermarket shutters and sending discarded carrier bags billowing as rain tumbles on to the asphalt.

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Montauban scored three tries of their own but a fourth successive thrashing on their travels has seen them concede more than 250 points and 38 tries in that time.

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There was no need for the drama of their wins against India and Bangladesh, this was a thrashing with their openers taking out the frustration of five-hour rain delay on the Sri Lanka bowlers.

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Related Words

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