Synonyms

throw the book at

Idioms

Punish or reprimand severely, as in I just knew the professor would throw the book at me for being late with my paper. This expression originally meant “sentence a convicted person to the maximum penalties allowed,” the book being the roster of applicable laws. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.

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.

throw the book at

California wants to throw the book at State Farm over wildfires.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

Premier Chris Minns has added: "If there's been a breach of the law then, of course, we'll throw the book at them."

From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2024

She urged the judge to throw the book at Martin because he “is not fit to live in society.”

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 20, 2023

But Webb’s decision to throw the book at Smollett didn’t just undermine the legitimacy of the system.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 15, 2022

Some day I'll throw the book at you.

From The Luck of the Mounted A Tale of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police by Ralph S. Kendall

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023