throw back

Idioms  

1. 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]

2. 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]

3. 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]

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Example Sentences

“That makes seven of us,” I said to Charlie, “unless she’s a minnow we have to throw back.”

From Literature

The tallest of the white-clad figures stepped forward and threw back his hood.

From Literature

He threw back the covers and leaped out of bed.

From Literature

The Colonel throws back his head and howls with laughter.

From Literature

She forced open the window, throwing back the shutters.

From Literature

Related Words

• degenerate
• deteriorate
• ebb
• fall back
• fall off
• recede
• revert