throw back
Idioms-
Hinder the progress of, check, as in His illness threw his schooling back a year , or The troops were thrown back by a barrage of fire . [First half of 1800s]
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Revert to an earlier type or stage, as in That dog throws back to his wolf ancestors . This usage gave rise to the noun throwback , a reversion to a former stage or type. [Second half of 1800s]
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throw back on . Cause to depend on, make reliant on, as in When the violinist didn't show up, they were thrown back on the pianist . [Mid-1800s]
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.
The Colonel throws back his head and howls with laughter.
From Literature
She forced open the window, throwing back the shutters.
From Literature
Taking that as her cue, Cassiopeia climbed up on the bench, threw back her head, and began to sing: “A pail full of flounder, Agatha!”
From Literature
Not knowing what else to do, Penelope threw back her head.
From Literature
In answer, Madame Ionesco threw back her head and howled.
From Literature
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.
