throw

views updated May 14 2018

throw / [unvoicedth]rō/ • v. (past threw / [unvoicedth]roō/ ; past part. thrown / [unvoicedth]rōn/ ) 1. [tr.] propel (something) with force through the air by a movement of the arm and hand: I threw a brick through the window. ∎  [tr.] push or force (someone or something) violently and suddenly into a particular physical position or state: the pilot and one passenger were thrown clear and survived the door was thrown open, and a uniformed guard entered the room. ∎  put in place or erect quickly: the stewards had thrown a cordon across the fairway. ∎  move (a part of the body) quickly or suddenly in a particular direction: she threw her head back and laughed. ∎  project or cast (light or shadow) in a particular direction: a chandelier threw its bright light over the walls. ∎  deliver (a punch). ∎  direct (a particular kind of look or facial expression): she threw a withering glance at him. ∎  project (one's voice) so that it appears to come from someone or something else, as in ventriloquism. ∎  (throw something off/on) put on or take off a garment hastily: I threw on my housecoat and went to the door. ∎  move (a switch or lever) so as to operate a device. ∎  roll (dice). ∎  obtain (a specified number) by rolling dice. ∎  inf. lose (a race or contest) intentionally, esp. in return for a bribe.2. [tr.] cause to enter suddenly a particular state or condition: he threw all her emotions into turmoil the bond market was thrown into confusion. ∎  put (someone) in a particular place or state, esp. in a rough, abrupt, or summary fashion: these guys should be thrown in jail. ∎  [tr.] disconcert; confuse: she frowned, thrown by this apparent change of tack.3. [tr.] send (one's opponent) to the ground in wrestling, judo, or similar activity. ∎  (of a horse) unseat (its rider). ∎  (of a horse) lose (a shoe). ∎  (of an animal) give birth to (young, of a specified kind): sometimes a completely black calf is thrown.4. [tr.] form (ceramic ware) on a potter's wheel: further on, a potter was throwing pots. ∎  turn (wood or other material) on a lathe.5. [tr.] have (a fit or tantrum).6. [tr.] give or hold (a party).• n. 1. an act of throwing something: Jeter's throw to first base was too late. ∎  an act of throwing one's opponent in wrestling, judo, or similar sport: a shoulder throw.2. a light cover for furniture. ∎ short for throw rug.3. short for throw of the dice (see dice).4. Geol. the extent of vertical displacement between the two sides of a fault.5. [usu. in sing.] the action or motion of a slide valve or of a crank, eccentric wheel, or cam. ∎  the extent of such motion. ∎  the distance moved by the pointer of an instrument.6. (a throw) inf. used to indicate how much a single item, turn, or attempt costs: he was offering to draw on-the-spot portraits at $25 a throw.PHRASES: be thrown back on be forced to rely on (something) because there is no alternative: we are once again thrown back on the resources of our imagination.throw away the key used to suggest that someone who has been put in prison should or will never be released: the judge should lock up these robbers and throw away the key.throw the baby out with the bathwatersee baby.throw something back in someone's facesee face.throw the book atsee book.throw cold water onsee cold.throw down the gauntletsee gauntlet1 .throw someone for a loopsee loop.throw dust in someone's eyes seek to mislead or deceive someone by misrepresentation or distraction.throw good money after bad incur further loss in a hopeless attempt to recoup a previous loss.throw one's hand in withdraw from a card game, poker, because one has a poor hand. ∎  withdraw from a contest or activity; give up.throw in one's lot withsee lot.throw in the towel (or sponge) (of boxers or their seconds) throw a towel (or sponge) into the ring as a token of defeat. ∎  abandon a struggle; admit defeat.throw light onsee light1 .throw money at somethingsee money.throw of the dicesee dice.throw oneself on (or upon) someone's mercy abjectly ask someone for help, forgiveness, or leniency.throw up one's hands raise both hands in the air as an indication of one's exasperation.throw one's weight aroundsee weight.throw one's weight behindsee weight.PHRASAL VERBS: throw money around spend money freely and ostentatiously.throw oneself at appear too eager to become the sexual partner of.throw something away1. discard something as useless or unwanted. ∎  waste or fail to make use of an opportunity or advantage: I've thrown away my chances in life. ∎  discard a playing card in a game.2. (of an actor) deliver a line with deliberate underemphasis for increased dramatic effect.throw something in1. include something, typically at no extra cost, with something that is being sold or offered: they cut the price by $100 and threw in an AC adaptor.2. make a remark casually as an interjection in a conversation: he threw in a sensible remark about funding.throw oneself into start to do (something) with enthusiasm and vigor: Eve threw herself into her work.throw something off1. rid oneself of something: he was struggling to throw off a viral-hepatitis problem.2. write or utter in an offhand manner: Thomas threw off the question lightly.throw oneself on (or upon) attack (someone) vigorously: they threw themselves on the enemy.throw something open make something accessible: the market was thrown open to any supplier to compete for contracts. ∎  invite general discussion of or participation in a subject or a debate or other event: the debate will be thrown open to the audience.throw someone out1. expel someone unceremoniously from a place, organization, or activity.2. Baseball put out a runner by a throw to the base being approached, followed by a tag.throw something out1. discard something as unwanted.2. (of a court, legislature, or other body) dismiss or reject something brought before it: the charges were thrown out by the judge.3. put forward a suggestion tentatively: a suggestion that Dunne threw out caught many a reader's fancy.4. cause numbers or calculations to become inaccurate: an undisclosed stock option throws out all your figures.5. emit or radiate something: a big range fire that threw out heat like a furnace.6. (of a plant) rapidly develop a side shoot, bud, etc.throw someone over abandon or reject someone as a lover.throw people together bring people into contact, esp. by chance.throw something together make or produce something hastily, without careful planning or arrangement: the meal was quickly thrown together at news of Rose's arrival.throw up vomit.throw something up1. abandon or give up something, esp. one's job: why has he thrown up a promising career in politics?2. inf. vomit something one has eaten or drunk.3. produce something and bring it to notice: he saw the prayers of the Church as a living and fruitful tradition that threw up new ideas.4. erect a building or structure hastily.DERIVATIVES: throw·a·ble adj.throw·er n.

throw

views updated Jun 11 2018

throw don't throw out your dirty water until you get in fresh proverbial saying, late 15th century, warning against leaving oneself without even unsatisfactory resources before ensuring that replacements are available.
don't throw the baby out with the bathwater proverbial saying, mid 19th century, meaning that in getting rid of something regarded as unnecessary one should be careful not to lose what really matters by accident as well. An early 17th-century German source as the related, ‘this is a caution…lest you thrown out the baby with the bath.’
throw someone to the wolves sacrifice another person in order to avert danger or difficulties for oneself; probably in allusion to stories of wolves in a pack pursuing travellers in a horse-drawn sleigh.
throw up the sponge abandon a contest or struggle, submit, give in; in boxing, throw up the sponge used to wipe a contestant's face as a sign that a fight has been abandoned.

See also throw dirt enough, and some will stick, people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, throw one's hat into the ring, throw someone to the lions, do not throw pearls to swine at pearl.

throw

views updated Jun 11 2018

throw pt. threw, pp. thrown twist (now only dial. or in techn. sense of preparing and twisting raw silk into thread XV); from XIII in various uses of cast. OE. str. vb. þrāwan = OS. thrāian (Du. draaien), OHG. drā(j)en, drāwen (G. drehen); WGmc., based on IE. *ter-, repr. by L. terere rub, Gr. teírein wear out.
Hence sb. XVI.

throw

views updated May 08 2018

throw The vertical displacement of a dip-slip fault; its measurement is often complicated by the difficulty of accurately identifying markers on either side of the fault plane.