throw
to propel or cast in any way, especially to project or propel from the hand by a sudden forward motion or straightening of the arm and wrist: to throw a ball.
to hurl or project (a missile), as a gun does.
to project or cast (light, a shadow, etc.).
to project (the voice).
to make it appear that (one's voice) is coming from a place different from its source, as in ventriloquism.
to direct or send forth (words, a glance, etc.).
to put or cause to go or come into some place, position, condition, etc., as if by hurling: to throw someone into prison;to throw a bridge across a river;to throw troops into action.
to put on, off, or away hastily: to throw a shawl over one's shoulders.
Machinery.
to move (a lever or the like) in order to activate, turn on, disconnect, etc., an apparatus or mechanism: to throw the switch.
to connect, engage, disconnect, or disengage by such a procedure: to throw the current.
to shape on a potter's wheel: to throw a vase.
to bring to bear or invest: Throw all your energy into your work. The FBI threw every available agent into the case.
to deliver (a blow or punch): He threw a hard left jab to his opponent's chin.
to cause to fall to the ground, especially to hurl to the ground, as an opponent in wrestling.
Cards. to play (a card).
to lose (a game, race, or other contest) intentionally, as for a bribe.
to cast (dice).
to make (a cast) at dice: She threw two sixes.
(of an animal, as a horse) to cause (someone) to fall off; unseat: The horse threw his rider twice.
to organize and host: They threw a lavish party celebrating his 80th birthday.
(of domestic animals) to bring forth (young).
Textiles. to twist (filaments) without attenuation in the production of yarn or thread.
Informal. to overcome with astonishment or confusion; amaze, disconcert, or confuse: It was her falsetto voice on top of it all that really threw me.
to turn on a lathe.
to cast, fling, or hurl a missile or the like.
the distance to which anything is or may be thrown: a stone's throw.
Informal. a venture or chance: It was his last throw.
Machinery.
the distance between the center of a crankshaft and the center of the crankpins, equal to one half of the piston stroke.
the distance between the center of a crankshaft and the center of an eccentric.
the movement of a reciprocating part in one direction.
(in a movie theater) the distance between the projector and the screen.
(in an auditorium or the like) the distance between a loudspeaker and the audience.
the length of a beam of light: a spotlight with a throw of 500 feet.
Theater.
the distance to which a spotlight can be projected.
the area illuminated by a spotlight.
a scarf, boa, shawl, or the like.
a light blanket, as for use when reclining on a sofa.
a cast of dice.
the number thrown with a pair of dice.
Wrestling. the act, method, or an instance of throwing an opponent.
Geology, Mining. the amount of vertical displacement produced by a fault.
throw away,
to dispose of; discard.
to employ wastefully; squander.
to fail to use; miss (a chance, opportunity, etc.): He threw away a college education and a professional career.
(of a performer) to speak or tell (lines, a joke, etc.) casually or indifferently.
throw back,
to retard the development or advancement of: His illness threw him back a year at school.
to force into dependence upon or necessary use of.
to return to; hark back.
to revert to a type found in one's ancestry; manifest atavism: Her red hair and blue eyes throw back to her great-grandmother.
throw down,
to fight or to challenge someone to a fight: You wanna throw down with me, punk?
to give a share of the cost; contribute (money): Are you going to throw down for this pizza, or what?
to produce or execute (something) successfully; put down: The skiers threw down a few good runs before the snow turned to slush.
to cast down; cause to drop: Throw down your weapons and surrender!
throw in, Informal.
to add as a bonus or gratuity: They throw in breakfast with the room.
to bring into (a discussion, plan, etc.) as an addition; interject: The president threw in an amusing anecdote to relieve the tension.
Cards. to abandon (a hand).
throw off,
to free oneself of; cast aside: to throw off the wet poncho;to throw off the yoke of slavery.
to escape from or delay, as a pursuer.
to give off; discharge.
to perform or produce with ease: The entertainer threw off a few songs and jokes to begin the show.
to confuse; fluster: Thrown off by jeers, she forgot her lines.
Australian Slang. to criticize or ridicule (usually followed by at).
throw out,
to cast away; remove; discard.
to bring up for consideration; propose: The committee threw out a few suggestions.
to put out of mind; reject: We can throw out that scheme.
Baseball. to cause to be out by throwing the ball to a fielder, especially an infielder, in time to prevent a batter or runner from reaching base safely: The shortstop backhanded the ball and threw the batter out at first.
to eject from a place, especially forcibly: He started making a disturbance so the bartenders threw him out.
to expel, as from membership in a club.
throw over, to forsake; abandon: She threw over her first husband for another man.
throw together,
to make in a hurried and haphazard manner.
to cause to associate: Many nationalities have been thrown together in the American melting pot.
throw up,
to give up; relinquish.
to build hastily.
to vomit.
to point out, as an error; criticize.
(of a hawk) to fly suddenly upward.
Idioms about throw
a throw, Informal. each: He ordered four suits at $300 a throw.
throw cold water on. cold (def. 31).
throw down the gauntlet / glove. gauntlet1 (def. 5).
throw in the sponge, Informal. sponge (def. 21).
throw in the towel, Informal. towel (def. 3).
throw one's hat in the ring. hat (def. 8).
throw oneself at someone / someone's head, to strive to attract the interest or attention of, especially in order to win the love or admiration of: Don't expect me to throw myself at you.
throw oneself into, to engage in with energy or enthusiasm: She threw herself into learning the new routines.
throw oneself on / upon someone, to commit oneself to another's mercy, generosity, support, etc.; trust in: The members of his wife's family have all thrown themselves on him.
throw out the baby with the bathwater. bathwater (def. 2).
throw the bull, Slang. bull2 (def. 2).
throw (someone or something) to the wolves / dogs, Informal. wolf (def. 13).
throw (someone or something) under the bus, Informal. bus1 (def. 11).
Origin of throw
1synonym study For throw
Other words for throw
Other words from throw
- mis·throw, verb, mis·threw, mis·thrown, mis·throw·ing.
Words that may be confused with throw
- throe, throw
Words Nearby throw
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use throw in a sentence
A lot of throw blankets and children’s bedding are made from Minky.
Best weighted blanket: Sleep like a baby with our comfy bedding picks | PopSci Commerce Team | February 12, 2021 | Popular-ScienceThe best heated throw blankets will let you control the temperature setting.
Best heated throw blanket: Bundle up with these electric blankets | PopSci Commerce Team | February 11, 2021 | Popular-ScienceMahomes ran 497 yards before making throws or taking sacks, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, the most in one game since it started keeping track.
What went wrong for the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes in a brutal Super Bowl defeat | Adam Kilgore | February 8, 2021 | Washington PostThose throws come from a highly practiced palm and well-schooled eyes.
Patrick Mahomes has unmatched physical gifts. His intellect might be what sets him apart. | Sally Jenkins | February 5, 2021 | Washington PostStill, the ability to get in Mahomes’s face is associated with a big drop in accuracy even after accounting for the particulars of the throw.
Our Guide To Super Bowl LV | Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com) | February 3, 2021 | FiveThirtyEight
In general, their presence is meant to throw you off your game by design.
Would a state with a keen understanding of the power of propaganda be so willing to just throw away such a trove of information?
Just wanted to place it in the context of slates needing picture choices that throw off revenue to make the numbers work.
Inside Sony’s ‘Pineapple Express 2 Drama’: Leaked Emails Reveal Fight Over Stoner Comedy Sequel | William Boot | December 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTArchrival India has money to throw around, and Iran and Russia are also exerting influence in the region.
Pakistan’s Dance With Terrorists Just Backfired and Killed 132 Children | Chris Allbritton | December 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe went so far as to throw an “Activation Party” in their honor just weeks before his September arrest.
The Father Who Made His Kids Have Sex With a Dog | John L. Smith | December 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIf you throw away this chance, you will both richly deserve to be hanged, as I sincerely trust you will be.
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, v. 2(of 2) | Charles DickensThat woman meant mischief, or she would never have dared to suggest that a British officer should throw in his lot with hers.
The Red Year | Louis TracyIf the Turks get hold of a lot of fresh men and throw them upon us during the night,—perhaps they may knock us off into the sea.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I | Ian HamiltonNothing will be easier then to throw the Poles into the shade of the picture, or to occupy the foreground with a brilliant review.
All this will, doubtless, throw a number of deserving persons out of employ.
British Dictionary definitions for throw
/ (θrəʊ) /
(also intr) to project or cast (something) through the air, esp with a rapid motion of the arm and wrist
(foll by in, on, onto, etc) to put or move suddenly, carelessly, or violently: she threw her clothes onto the bed
to bring to or cause to be in a specified state or condition, esp suddenly or unexpectedly: the news threw the family into a panic
to direct or cast (a shadow, light, etc)
to project (the voice) so as to make it appear to come from other than its source
to give or hold (a party)
to cause to fall or be upset; dislodge: the horse soon threw his rider
to tip (dice) out onto a flat surface
to obtain (a specified number) in this way
to shape (clay) on a potter's wheel
to move (a switch or lever) to engage or disengage a mechanism
to be subjected to (a fit)
to turn (wood, etc) on a lathe
informal to baffle or astonish; confuse: the last question on the test paper threw me
boxing to deliver (a punch)
wrestling to hurl (an opponent) to the ground
informal to lose (a contest, fight, etc) deliberately, esp in boxing
to play (a card)
to discard (a card)
(of a female animal, esp a cow) to give birth to (young)
to twist or spin (filaments) into thread
throw cold water on something informal to be unenthusiastic about or discourage something
throw oneself at to strive actively to attract the attention or affection of
throw oneself into to involve oneself enthusiastically in
throw oneself on to rely entirely upon: he threw himself on the mercy of the police
the act or an instance of throwing
the distance or extent over which anything may be thrown: a stone's throw
informal a chance, venture, or try
an act or result of throwing dice
the eccentricity of a cam
the radial distance between the central axis of a crankshaft and the axis of a crankpin forming part of the shaft
a decorative light blanket or cover, as thrown over a chair
a sheet of fabric used for draping over an easel or unfinished painting, etc, to keep the dust off
geology the vertical displacement of rock strata at a fault
physics the deflection of a measuring instrument as a result of a sudden fluctuation
Origin of throw
1- See also throw about, throwaway, throwback, throwback, throw in, throw off, throw out, throw over, throw together, throw up
Derived forms of throw
- thrower, noun
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with throw
In addition to the idioms beginning with throw
- throw a curve
- throw a fit
- throw a monkey wrench into
- throw a party
- throw a punch
- throw away
- throw back
- throw caution to the winds
- throw cold water on
- throw down the gauntlet
- throw dust in someone's eyes
- throw for a loop
- throw good money after bad
- throw in
- throw in one's hand
- throw in one's lot with
- throw in someone's face
- throw in the sponge
- throw light on
- throw off
- throw off balance
- throw off the track
- throw oneself at
- throw oneself into
- throw one's hat in the ring
- throw one's weight around
- throw open
- throw out
- throw out the baby with the bath water
- throw over
- throw someone
- throw the book at
- throw together
- throw to the wolves
- throw up
- throw up one's hands
- throw up to
also see:
- cast (throw) one's lot with
- cast (throw) the first stone
- have (throw) a fit
- (throw) in one's face
- knock (throw) for a loop
- pour (throw) cold water on
- shed (throw) light on
- stone's throw
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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