throw

[ throh ]

/ θroʊ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR throw ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), threw, thrown, throw·ing.

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 give or 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.

verb (used without object), threw, thrown, throw·ing.

to cast, fling, or hurl a missile or the like.

noun

an act or instance of throwing or casting; cast; fling.

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 motion-picture 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.

a scarf, boa, shawl, or the like.

Theater.

the distance to which a spotlight can be projected.
the area illuminated by a spotlight.

a light blanket, as for use when reclining on a sofa; afghan.

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.

Verb Phrases

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.

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 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.

Nearby words

throughly, throughout, throughput, throughway, throve, throw, throw a curve, throw a fit, throw a monkey wrench into, throw a party, throw a punch

Idioms

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. sponge(def 11).

throw in the towel. towel(def 3).

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. bull³(def 2).

throw (someone or something) to the wolves/dogs, to place or leave (a person or thing) in a bad situation with no assistance, especially in order to protect oneself: During the scandal, employees felt they had been thrown to the wolves by their employer.Also throw under the bus.

Origin of throw

before 1000; Middle English throwen, thrawen (v.), Old English thrāwan to twist, turn; cognate with Dutch draaien, German drehen to turn, spin, twirl, whirl; akin to Latin terere, Greek teírein to rub away

SYNONYMS FOR throw

1 fling, launch, send. Throw, cast, pitch, toss imply projecting something through the air. Throw is the general word, often used with an adverb that indicates direction, destination, etc.: to throw a rope to someone, the paper away. Cast is a formal word for throw, archaic except as used in certain idiomatic expressions ( to cast a net, black looks; cast down; the compound broadcast, etc.): to cast off a boat. Pitch implies throwing with some force and definite aim: to pitch a baseball. To toss is to throw lightly, as with an underhand or sidewise motion, or to move irregularly up and down or back and forth: to toss a bone to a dog.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR throw ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

mis·throw, verb, mis·threw, mis·thrown, mis·throw·ing.

Can be confused

throe throw

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for throw in (1 of 2)

throw in

verb (tr, adverb)

to add (something extra) at no additional cost

to contribute or interpose (a remark, argument, etc), esp in a discussion

throw in one's hand

(in cards) to concede defeat by putting one's cards down
to give in and accept defeat; discontinue a venture

throw in the towel or throw in the sponge

(in boxing) to concede defeat by the throwing of a towel (or sponge) into the ring by a second
to give in and accept defeat; discontinue a venture

noun throw-in

soccer the method of putting the ball into play after it has gone into touch by throwing it two-handed from behind the head, both feet being kept on the ground

British Dictionary definitions for throw in (2 of 2)

throw

/ (θrəʊ) /

verb throws, throwing, threw or thrown (mainly tr)

(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 violentlyshe threw her clothes onto the bed

to bring to or cause to be in a specified state or condition, esp suddenly or unexpectedlythe 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; dislodgethe 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; confusethe 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 uponhe threw himself on the mercy of the police

noun

the act or an instance of throwing

the distance or extent over which anything may be throwna 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

Derived Forms

thrower, noun

Word Origin for throw

Old English thrāwan to turn, torment; related to Old High German drāen to twist, Latin terere to rub

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 throw in (1 of 2)

throw in

Insert or introduce into the course of something, interject, as in He always threw in a few jokes to lighten the atmosphere. [c. 1700]

Add something with no additional charge, as in The salesman said he'd throw in the carpet padding. [Second half of 1600s]

throw in with. Enter into association with, as in His friends warned him against throwing in with the notorious street gang. [Second half of 1800s] Also see cast one's lot and the subsequent idioms beginning with throw in.

Idioms and Phrases with throw in (2 of 2)

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