throe

[ throh ]
/ θroʊ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR throe ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a violent spasm or pang; paroxysm.
a sharp attack of emotion.
throes,
  1. any violent convulsion or struggle: the throes of battle.
  2. the agony of death.
  3. the pains of childbirth.

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Origin of throe

1150–1200; Middle English throwe, alteration of thrawe (-o- from Old English thrōwian to suffer, be in pain), Old English thrawu; cognate with Old Norse thrā (in līkthrā leprosy)

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH throe

throe , throw.

Words nearby throe

throat seizing, throatwash, throaty, throb, Throckmorton, throe, throes, thrombase, thrombasthenia, thrombectomy, thrombin
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to throe

agony, turmoil, anguish, pang, struggle, ache, disorder, spasm

Example sentences from the Web for throe

British Dictionary definitions for throe

throe
/ (θrəʊ) /

noun

rare a pang or pain

Word Origin for throe

Old English thrāwu threat; related to Old High German drawa threat, Old Norse thrā desire, thrauka to endure
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with throe

throe

see in the throes.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.