threw

[ throo ]

/ θru /

verb

a simple past tense of throw.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH threw

threw through

Words nearby threw

threshold, threshold agreement, threshold limit value, threshold stimulus, threshold substance, threw, thrice, thrift, thriftless, thriftshop, thrifty

Definition for threw (2 of 2)

throw

[ throh ]

/ θroʊ /

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.

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 SYNONYMS FOR throw ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM throw

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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH throw

throe throw

Example sentences from the Web for threw

The off-year special election into which Duke threw himself drew little media notice at first.

The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise |Jason Berry |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Over two days in August, rioters and looters rampaged through stores and threw stones.

This Week's Riots Are Part of America's Long History of Racial Rage |Sharon Adarlo |November 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Once I threw up — it was five in the morning by now, I think — I left the bathroom and he wasn't there.

Bill Cosby’s Long List of Accusers (So Far): 18 Alleged Sexual Assault Victims Between 1965-2004 |Marlow Stern |November 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
They threw off their bags of crops and strapped him to the back.

A Belgian Prince, Gorillas, Guerrillas & the Future of the Congo |Nina Strochlic |November 6, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

During Ukraine's winter revolution, Sergei says, he “built barricades and threw Molotov cocktails.”

Corruption Eats Away at Ukraine Military |Charles McPhedran |October 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The young idlers of rich Palermo intrigued to be introduced to her and threw enormous nosegays to her at the end of every act.

Corleone |F. Marion Crawford
The devi filled his mouth, tore off the flesh, and threw the bones to the three brothers.

Georgian Folk Tales |Unknown
Surely we thought we were lost before, when he threw the great rock, and washed our ship back to the shore.

The Children's Hour, Volume 3 (of 10) |Various
Tode looked around admiringly as Dick threw open the door and led the way in.

The Bishop's Shadow |I. T. Thurston
As for me, the remembrance of my fiancée this evening threw me into a reckless mood.

A Witch of the Hills, v. 2-2 |Florence Warden

British Dictionary definitions for threw (1 of 2)

threw

/ (θruː) /

verb

the past tense of throw

British Dictionary definitions for threw (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 violently she threw her clothes onto the bed

to bring to or cause to be in a specified state or condition, esp suddenly or unexpectedly the 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; dislodge the 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; confuse the 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 upon he 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 thrown a 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

See also throw about, throwaway, throwback, throwback, throw in, throw off, throw out, throw over, throw together, throw up

Derived forms of throw

thrower, noun

Word Origin for throw

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

Idioms and Phrases with threw

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

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

threw

verb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH threw

Words nearby threw

Definition for threw (2 of 2)

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

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

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of throw

SYNONYMS FOR throw

OTHER WORDS FROM throw

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH throw

Example sentences from the Web for threw

British Dictionary definitions for threw (1 of 2)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for threw (2 of 2)

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

noun

Derived forms of throw

Word Origin for throw

Idioms and Phrases with threw

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

threw

verb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH threw

Words nearby threw

Definition for threw (2 of 2)

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

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

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of throw

SYNONYMS FOR throw

OTHER WORDS FROM throw

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH throw

Words related to threw

Example sentences from the Web for threw

British Dictionary definitions for threw (1 of 2)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for threw (2 of 2)

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

noun

Derived forms of throw

Word Origin for throw

Idioms and Phrases with threw