▪ I. † throw, n.1 Obs.
Forms: α. 1 þráᵹ, þráh, 3 þraȝhe, 4 thrau(e, 4–5 þraw(e, 4–6 thraw; 4 trau, trawe, (5 drawe). β. 3 þroȝe, 3–5 þrowe, 3–6 throwe, 5–6 throw; 5 trowe. γ. 5 threwe.
[OE. þráᵹ, þráh fem. a (point or space of) time, a season. Not found in the cognate langs.; if in OTeut., its form would naturally be *þraiᵹā, Goth. *þráiga.]
1. The time at which anything happens; an occasion. many a throw, many a time, often.
Like minute, instant, often used in advb. phrases with preposition omitted, as that throw, this throw, any throw, the same throw.
| Beowulf 2884 Ferᵹendra to lyt þrong ymbe þeoden þa hyne sio þraᵹ becwom. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxvii. §1 Onwæcnað sio wode þraᵹ þære wrænnesse. 971 Blickl. Hom. 117 Nis þæt eower..þæt ᵹe witan þa þraᵹe & þa tide. a 1250 Owl & Night. 478 Blisse myd heom sume þrowe. Ibid. 1455, I singe myd heom one þrowe [v.r. þroȝe]. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 36 This riche man the same throwe With soudein deth was overthrowe. 14.. Hoccleve Compl. Virgin 73 O thynke how many a throwe Thow in myn armes lay. c 1440 Lovelich Merlin 9949 Ȝoure Ryng to taken me jn this threwe, To ȝoure cosin le-ownces that j myhte it schewe. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xx. 380 Peter, thou shall thryse apon a thraw fforsake me, or the cok craw. 1513 Douglas æneis x. xiii. 53 The casting dart..Smate worthy Anthores the ilk thraw. |
2. A space of time; a while; in later use always, a brief while, an instant, a moment.
| a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 1426 (Gr.) Þær se halᵹa bad sunu Lameches soðra ᵹehata lange þraᵹe. a 1000 Juliana 464 (Gr.) Is þeos þraᵹ ful strong,..ic sceal þinga ᵹehwylc þolian. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 33 Nis nawiht þeos weorld; al heo aȝeð on ane alpi þraȝe. c 1200 Ormin 3475 Wass mikell weȝȝe till þatt land..& forrþi wass hemm ned to don God þraȝhe to þatt weȝȝe. c 1205 Lay. 640 He tah hine aȝein ane þrowe. a 1300 Cursor M. 3281 (Cott.) Had he noght rested bot a thrau [v.rr. þraw, þrowe]. 1375 Barbour Bruce vii. 34 He..said eftir a litill thraw, Þat he suld wenge in hy thar blude. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 855 Now lat vs stynte of Custance but a throwe [v.r. trowe]. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Quair xlv, Quhen I a lytill thrawe had maid my moon. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 493/1 Throwe, a lytyl wyle, momentum. c 1570 Pride & Lowl. (1841) 64 They were defaced in a throw. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. iv. 53 Downe himselfe he layd Upon the grassy ground to sleepe a throw. |
b. be throwes, by turns, time about. rare.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 55 After that cause and nede it ladde, Be throwes ech of hem it hadde. |
▪ II. throw, n.2
(θrəʊ)
Also 6–7 throwe, 6– Sc. thraw.
[f. throw v.1]
The act expressed by throw v.1; a twist; a cast.
I. A twist, a turn.
* In Sc. form thraw.
1. An act of twisting or turning; the fact or condition of being twisted; a turn or twist round, or to one side, or out of the straight or regular line; a wrench, crook, warp; also the act of turning a key, or the like. Also fig. in a throw, crookedly, awry. Sc.
| a 1585 Polwart Flyting w. Montgomerie 564 The bleared bucke..Hes right trim teeth, somewhat set in a thraw. 1632 Lithgow Trav. x. 465 Each torture consisting of three winding throwes of euery pinne; which amounted to twenty one throwes. a 1653 Binning Serm. (1845) 68 Man's fall from God hath made a wretched thraw and crook in the soul. 1785 Burns Halloween xxii, She turns the key wi' cannie thraw. 1814 Scott Wav. xlviii, Deil be wi' me if I do not give your craig [neck] a thraw. 1902 Westm. Gaz. 15 May 10/2 When the beacon took a ‘thrawe’ and his workmen fled into the tower, then almost finished, he sat unmoved reading his Bible. |
b. fig. A perverse twist of temper or humour; a fit of perversity or ‘thrawnness’. mod. Sc.
| 1788 R. Galloway Poems 93 (Jam.) Lasses were kiss'd..Nor seem'd to tak it ill, Wi' thraw that day. 1814 J. Train Strains Mount. Muse 113 (ibid.) Auld Lucky Nature..unto Miss Scotia, just out of a thraw, She gave a bleak wilderness, barren and raw. 1864 T. Bruce in Poets Ayrshire (1910) 233 Agents an' corks, in ruthless thraw Sought out each scob an' tear. |
c. Phrase. heads and thraws, Sc.: see quot. 1825.
| 1728 Ramsay To Robt. Yarde 14 A laigh hut, where sax thegither Ly heads and thraws on craps of heather. 1765 Museum Rust. IV. cvi. 462 They lay root-ends and crop-ends together, or, as is commonly called, heads and thraws. 1819 Scott Leg. Montrose vi, The great barn would hold fifty more, if they would lie heads and thraws. 1825 Jamieson, Heads-and-thraws, with the heads and feet, or heads and points, lying in opposite directions... To play at heads and thraws, to play at push-pin. |
** In Eng. form throw.
2. Mech. The action or motion of a slide-valve, or of a crank, eccentric, or cam; also, the extent of this measured on a straight line passing through the centre of motion; the extent through which a switch or lever may be moved; also, a crank-arm; a crank.
| 1829 Three throw [see three III. 2]. 1864 in Webster. 1874 Knight Dict. Mech. s.v. Crank, A two-throw or three-throw crank-shaft is one having so many cranks set at different angles on the shaft. 1888 Hasluck Model Engin. Handybk. (1900) 77 When the space between the bearings is limited, that part of the rod forming the crank throws, is made elliptical in section. 1904 Lineham Text Bk. Mech. Engin. 637 The eccentricity..must be measured from centre of eccentric sheave to centre of shaft. This amount we shall sometimes call the throw. 1975 Gramophone Sept. 533/3 These are toggle type switches,..and protrude quite appreciably from the facia. They therefore have quite a long throw. 1979 SLR Camera Jan. 41/2 The wind-on lever has a short throw of around 120 degrees. |
b. Electr. (See quots.)
| 1890 E. Atkinson tr. Ganot's Elem. Treat. Physics (ed. 13) x. ii. 794 When a current of very small duration is passed through a galvanometer, a momentary deflection or swing or throw of the needle will be produced. 1902 T. O'C. Sloane Electr. Dict., Throw, in a galvanometer, the instantaneous deflection of the needle when the contact or closing of the circuit is instantaneous, or when the discharge is completed before the needle begins to move. 1931 L. B. Loeb Fund. Electr. & Magnetism xxiii. 272 Even the first throw of the galvanometer has not the true value which it would have had in the absence of damping. |
c. Deflection from the right line.
| 1858 Mallet in Rep. Brit. Assoc. i. 94 The obliquity of throw of each of the balls..from their respective cardinal and vertical planes. |
3. A twist of some fibre (e.g. silk). rare—1.
| 1873 Browning Red Cotton Night-Cap Country iv. 857 That stalk whereto her hermitage She tacked by golden throw of silk. |
4. A machine by which a rotary motion is given to an object while being shaped; a lathe, esp. one worked by hand: cf. throw-lathe in throw- 1.
| 1657 Tomlinson Renou's Disp. 490 Boxes are..either made with a throwe, or composed of a thin broad chip. 1659 Hoole Comenius' Vis. World (1777) 89 The turner sitting over the treddle, turneth with a throw. 1836–8 Encycl. Metrop. (1845) VIII. 454 The jigger, also called a throw, is larger than, yet much resembling a lapidary's wheel. 1879 Holtzapffel Turning IV. 29 The potter's lathe or ‘throw’... The term throw, also applied to the clock throw. |
II. 5. An act of throwing a missile, etc.; a forcible propulsion or delivery from or as from the hand or arm; a cast. Also fig. (As a fault in Cricket: see bowl v.1 4 and cf. quots. 1901 here.)
to have a throw at (fig.), to attack, have an attempt at; to have a ‘fling’ at.
| 1530 Palsgr. 233/1 Hurle or throwe with a stone, coup de pierre. 1548 Elyot Dict., Iactus, a throwe, a hurle, a caste. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. v. 9 He hewd, and lasht, and foynd, and thundred blowes..Ne plate, ne male, could ward so mighty throwes. 1692 Bentley Boyle Lect. 157 It is so many million of millions odds to one against any single throw, that the assigned order will not be cast. 1698 Collier Immor. Stage iii. 101 The Old Batchelour has a Throw at the Dissenting Ministers. 1755 Game at Cricket 10 If in running a Notch, the Wicket is struck down by a Throw, it's out. 1884 Mil. Engineering (ed. 3) I. ii. 45 Keep the shovellers back at least 10 feet from the edge of the excavation; otherwise they interfere with the throw of the diggers. 1895 Crockett Men of Moss-Hags l, We will hae a thraw at it, to see if we canna break through the Thieves' Hole. 1901 Speaker 5 Jan. 361/2 There is no satisfactory definition of a ‘throw’ [at Cricket]. What one man conscientiously regards as ‘throwing’, another..equally conscientiously passes as bowling. 1901 Westm. Gaz. 11 Jan. 5/2, I wonder what [he] would say if anyone told him he could not tell a throw from a fairly-bowled ball. |
6. The distance to which anything may or is to be thrown: often qualified, as a stone's throw.
| 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. i. lxvii. 138 The enimyes were come, within the throwe of a Dart. 1607 Shakes. Cor. v. ii. 21 Like to a Bowle vpon a subtle ground I haue tumbled past the throw. 1704 Swift Batt. Bks. Misc. (1711) 252 The two Cavaliers had now approach'd within a Throw of a Lance. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull i. ix, She stank so, that nobody durst come within a stone's throw of her. 1893 F. F. Moore I Forbid Banns (1899) 16 The vessel steamed within a biscuit-throw of the southern cliffs. |
7. spec. a. A cast at dice; the number cast. Also fig.
| 1577 Stanyhurst Descr. Irel. in Holinshed I. 84/1 Fall how it will, this throwe is for an huddle. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. i. 33 The greater throw May turne by fortune from the weaker hand. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xx. §66 Freede from the awe of open challenges of the Crowne, and from throwes at his maine. a 1667 Jer. Taylor Serm. Ephes. v. 32–33 Wks. 1831 I. 319 They..cast a die..of the greatest interest in the world, next to the last throw for eternity. 1702 Lond. Gaz. No. 3839/4 The most at Three Throws is to have him. 1710 Palmer Proverbs 368 A man's friends..on an ill throw don't care to go his halves. 1759 Hist. in Ann. Reg. 8/1 This able general, who never risques his fortune on a single throw, began to think of a retreat. 1850 Robertson Serm. Ser. iii. ii. (1872) 24 The gambler who improvidently stakes all upon a moment's throw. 1878 R. B. Smith Carthage 259 They had ventured their all, or nearly their all, on this one throw. |
b. A cast of a net, a fishing-line, etc.; = cast n. 5, 5 c. Also fig.
| 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Acts ii. 11 This was the firste caste and throwe of his nette. 1687 Dryden Hind & P. ii. 20 With the self-same throw, To catch the quarry and the vermin too. 1851 Newland The Erne 75 For the trout, the gillaroo, and the jenkin, the northern shore affords the best throws. 1867 F. Francis Angling v. (1880) 159 When..he can manage this throw. |
c. Wrestling. The throwing down of an opponent, which finishes a bout or round: cf. fall n.1 13, cast n. 11.
| 1819 Sporting Mag. IV. 236 The Irish trump again got the throw. 1861 Paley æschylus (ed. 2) Choephoroe 331 note, ἀτρίακτος, ‘invincible,’ from the three throws of a wrestler. |
d. A felling of timber: cf. fall n.1 14; also, the direction in which a tree is caused to fall.
| 1879 Jefferies Wild Life in S. Co. 289 While all these throws of timber have successively taken place, no attempt has been made to fill up the gaps. 1880 ― Gt. Estate 173 The throw of oak that was going on in one part of the Chace. |
8. Geol. and Mining. A dislocation in a vein or stratum, in which the part on one side of the fracture is displaced up or down; = fault n. 9; also, the amount of vertical displacement so caused.
| 1796 Outram in Phil. Trans. LXXXVI. 351 A fault, throw, or break of the strata, which was filled with shale. 1828 Craven Gloss., Throw,..a disrupture of the beds or strata. 1855 J. R. Leifchild Cornwall Mines 86 The ‘throw’ or perpendicular distance between the corresponding strata on the opposites of a vein, varies from a few inches to thirty or forty, or even a hundred fathoms. |
9. A decorative piece of fabric used as a casual covering for furniture, as a rug, counterpane, etc. Also, a shawl or stole. N. Amer. (chiefly U.S.).
| 1895 [see drape n.1 c]. 1913 F. H. Burnett T. Tembarom xl. 524 They..transformed the cot into a ‘couch’ by covering it with what Tracy's knew as a ‘throw’. 1936 W. Greene Death in Deep South ii. 142 Her last summer's scarf made a throw over the pine table. 1952 E. Ferber Giant ii. 14 I'm only going to buy a little white mink cape throw. 1963 G. S. Maxwell Navajo Rugs iii. 30 Continuing south we come to the city of Gallup, a center for the inexpensive rug known as a ‘Throw’. 1980 M. McMullen My Cousin Death (1981) xvii. 195 She..brought a plaid throw and tenderly tucked it in around him. |
10. colloq. (orig. U.S.). A ‘go’ at anything; freq. in phr. ―a throw, preceded by a specified sum of money to denote ‘so much a go’ or ‘so much apiece’.
| 1898 F. P. Dunne Mr. Dooley in Peace & War 101 Smaller thin New York, but th' livin' was cheaper, with Mon'gahela rye at five a throw, put ye'er hand around th' glass. 1931 ‘D. Stiff’ Milk & Honey Route 177 Beer or wine at a jitney a throw. 1948 [see dope n. 3 a]. 1958 B. Malamud Magic Barrel 30 A column..inviting contributions in the form of stories at five bucks the thousand-word throw. 1966 N. Freeling Dresden Green i. 38 Coffee-table books..at a hundred and forty francs the throw. 1975 Author Winter 153 The cost of research... The BBC Archives charge {pstlg}2 a throw. |
▪ III. throw, n.3
earlier form of throe n.
▪ IV. throw, v.1
(θrəʊ)
Pa. tense threw (θruː); pa. pple. thrown (θrəʊn). Forms: see below.
[OE. þráwan (pa. tense þréow, pa. pple. þráwen) str. vb., to turn, twist; corresp. to OLG. *thrâjan, MLG. dreien, LG. draien, dreien, MDu. draeien, Du. draaien, OHG. drâen (from *drájan), MHG. dræjen, dræn, Ger. drehen, weak vb., to twist, twirl, turn; wanting in Gothic, where it would have been a reduplicated vb. *þráian, like wáian; OTeut. root þrǣ-, pre-Teut. trē-, ter- to turn; in Gr. and L., to bore. In Eng. the orig. sense ‘twist, turn’ remained in the north, and in certain technical uses (see branch I); otherwise it passed in ME. into that of branch II, = OE. weorpan, perh. through an unrecorded sense ‘throw by a turn or twist of the arm, or with a sling’. Cf. note to cast v.]
A. Illustration of Forms.
1. pres. stem. (α) 1 ðráw-an, 1–4 þraw-, 3–4 þrauw-, 3–7 thrawe, 5– Sc. thraw, (4 þrau-, 5–6 thrau, 9 dial. thraa, thrah, thra, tra(a) (see Eng. Dial. Dict.).
| c 1000 Þrawan [see B. 1]. a 1300 Thrawe [see B. 8]. 1340 Ayenb. 17 God þrauþ doun prede. c 1450 Two Cookery-bks. 101 Thrawe it þorgh a streynour. c 1470 Thraw [see B. 1]. 1570 Levins Manip. 45/38 To Thrawe, cast, iactare, mittere. 1581 Thrau [see B. 3]. 1720 Ramsay Wealth 141 I'll thraw my gab and gloom. 1787–1884 Thraw [see B. 5]. 1828 Craven Gloss., Thraa, to throw; also to turn in a lathe. |
(β) 3–5 þrōw-en, 4–7 throwe, 6– throw (6–7 through, 7 throughe, thro', 9 dial. thro, trow).
| c 1250 Long Life 37 in O.E. Misc. 158 Weilawei, deþ þe schal adun þrowe. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvi. 131, I shal ouertourne þis temple and adown throwe. 1387 Þrow [see B. 37 a]. a 1400 Þrowe [see B. 30]. 1552 Huloet, Throwe, jacio. 1580 Throw [see B. 15]. 1598 Through [see B. 14]. c 1614 Sir W. Mure Dido & æneas ii. 219, I, frome above, a tempest downe shall thro'. c 1620 Throughes [see B. 19]. |
2. pa. tense. (α) 1 ðreow, 1–3 þreow, (3 þreuw), 3–4 þreou, þreu, þrew, -e, 4 þreuh, þruw, -e, threow, thrwe, 4–6 threwe, 5– threw, (5 threew, throwe, 7 thrue).
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 510 He sona ðreow ðwyres. c 1205 Lay. 12321 Þa cheorles up þreowen [c 1275 þreuwen]. Ibid. 807 Þreou, aþreu [see B. 28]. a 1300 K. Horn 1162 Horn þreu [v.r. þrew] is ryng to grounde. 13.. K. Alis. 2427 Ded he threow him to grounde. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 201 He..þreuh [texts B., C. þreu, þrew, threwe, throwe] to þe grounde. c 1374 Thrwe [see B. 43]. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 11 Þe aungel..þrewe [MS. γ, þruw] þat clooþ into þat fuyre. a 1400–50 Threw [see B. 46 a]. c 1422 Threew [see B. 48 a]. c 1449 Pecock Repr. (Rolls) 260 Thou..threwist doun hors and man. c 1470 Henry Wallace v. 1020 Thom Haliday sone be the craig him threw. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 304 The chyldren..toke vp stones & clay, & threwe them. 1618 Thrue [see B. 44 i]. |
(β) (dial.) 7–9 throwed, 9 thrawed.
| 1666 in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 315 Þ{supt}..hee throwed downe into the trench. 1820 Throwed [see B. 19]. 1871 Thrawed [see B. 2]. |
3. pa. pple. (α) 1–4 þrawen (3 þrauwen, 4 y(þraw), 5–6 Sc. thrawen (5–7 -in, -ne), 6– Sc. thrawn, 9 dial. thraan. See also thrawn.
| c 1205 Þrauwen, 13.. Þrawen [see B. 1]. c 1330 Y-þrawe [see B. 40 c]. 1483 Thrawen [see thrown]. 1513 Douglas æneis v. v. 66 [The adder] In lowpis thrawin. 1591 Thrawne [see B. 4]. 1645 Shetland Witch Trial in Hibbert Descr. Shetl. Isl. (1822) 597 Scho..cam scouring hame..having her head thrawin backward to her back. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's ix, He winna bide being thrawn. |
(β) 4–5 þrowen, (4 i-þrowen, 4–5 i-þrow(e), 4–7 (9 dial.) throwen, (4 throwyn, -un, 4–5 (y-)throwe, ytrowe, i-drow, 6 throwin), 6–7 throwne, 7– thrown, (6 trowne, 9 dial. threuwn.)
| c 1320 Cast. Love 739 Wiþ Cumpas I-þrowen and wiþ gin al I-do. 1382 Wyclif Acts xxvii. 18 Vs throwun with greet tempest. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 93 Þe body..þat was so i-þrowe wiþ oute þe walles. Ibid. VII. 327 Þe knyȝt þat hadde i-þrow hym downe. 1399 Throwe [see B. 8]. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 3867 Riche Troye..Schal be brent and doun ytrowe. c 1425 I-drow [see B. 40 c]. 1482 Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 74 They..were greuysly caste and throwe fro one place to anothir. 1535 Coverdale Lam. i. 13 He hath..throwne me wyde open. 1589 R. Robinson Gold. Mirr. (Chetham Soc.) Ep. to Rdr., Stones..thou would have throwen. 1647 Thrown [see B. 42 a]. |
(γ) 8–9 (now dial.) throwed, 9 north. thrawed.
| 1727–41 [see throwed]. 1878 Throwed [see B. 20]. 1896 Thrawed [see B. 1]. |
B. Signification. I. To twist, to turn, and derived uses.
* Sc. in form thraw; ** technical, in form throw.
*
1. trans. To twist, to wring; to turn to one side (also fig.); to twist about, twine, wreathe; to turn (a key or the like); in OE. to torture on the rack. Now Sc. and north. dial.
to thraw one's face, gab, mouth (Sc.), to pull a wry face, to contort the face, e.g. in pain, anger, or passion.
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 308 [He het] hine hon on heardre hengene..and mid hengene ðrawan to langere hwile. c 1000 ― Saints' Lives viii. 113 Þa wearð se arleasa ᵹehathyrt, and het hi on hencgene a-streccan and ðrawan swa swa wiððan wælhreowlice. c 1000 ælfric Gram. xxvi (Z.) 155 Contorqueo, ic samod þrawe. c 1205 Lay. 27359 Heȝe hare-marken..sixti þusende þrauwen mid winde. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 194 Þe tayl..þrawen wyth a þwong a þwarle knot alofte. c 1470 Henry Wallace vii. 410 Than xx{supt}{supy} men he gert fast wetheis thraw,..Than festnyt thai with wetheis duris fast. 1536 Bellenden Cosmogr. xiv, Apperit than ane multitude of wormis thrawing thaim self out of sindry hollis and boris of this tre. 1583 Calr. Scott. Pap. VI. 356 [They] forcit thame..be towis thrawin about their heidis [to reveal the money]. 1689 Burnet Tracts I. 82 He threw it which way he pleased. 1728 Ramsay Fable, Fox & Rat 26 He threw his gab, and girn'd. ? 17.. Young Redin xiv. in Child Ballads II. 146 Ye'll thraw my head aff my hause-bane, And throw me in the sea. 1816 Scott Bl. Dwarf ix, To thraw the keys, or draw the bolts, or open the grate. 1823 Hogg Sheph. Cal. i. (1829) I. 4 Ye're something ill for thrawing your mou' at Providence now and then. 18.. Sc. Proverb, Thraw the widdie [= withy] while it's green Between three and thirteen. 1881 W. Walker in Mod. Scot. Poets III. 104 Hoo his een are starin: hoo he thraws his mouth. 1894 Crockett Raiders 144 I'll thraw your neck for that, Jerry. 1896 ― Grey Man i. 7 His countenance thrawed and drawn, his shrunk shanks twisted. |
2. intr. To turn, twist, curl, twine, writhe; of a moored boat: to swing, sway. Chiefly Sc.
Quots. 1513, a 1650, appear to have the spec. meaning ‘to writhe in death-throes’; they are closely connected with thraw, northern form of throe n., and may perhaps be viewed as showing a Sc. form of throe v. 2.
| c 1000 Gloss. in Haupt's Zeitschr. IX. 435 Crispantibus, þrawendum vel cyrpisiendum, marg. cyrpsum loccum. c 1000 Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 527/2 Rotante, þrawende. c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 510 Se liᵹ..sona ðreow ðwyres wið þæs windes. c 1450 Holland Howlat 823 Twa..fulis..Callit him thryss thevisnek, to thrawe in a widdy. 1513 Douglas æneis xii. vi. 48 Down strowand eik vnder fut in the plane Diuers otheris ȝit thrawand and half slane. a 1650 Sir Eger & Sir Gryme 1611 in Laing Early Metr. T. (1826) 55 Gray-Steel unto his death thus thrawes; He walters, and the grass updrawes. a 1699 Bonnell in W. Hamilton Life ii. (1703) 85 We stomach..Injuries that we think are done to us; we fling and throw under them. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xxiii, If the dead corpse binna straughted, it will girn and thraw. 1871 Rossetti Stratton Water xxxvii, The empty boat thrawed i' the wind, Against the postern tied. 1881 Palgrave Visions Eng. 248 The strong branches cry And start and thraw in that fierce furnance-flame. |
3. a. trans. (fig.) To wrest, warp, or pervert the meaning or intention of; to do violence to, strain; also, to distort the pronunciation of. Sc.
| 1558 Kennedy Compend. Tract. 6 Wrestand and thrawing the Scripture, contrare the godlie menynge of the samyn. 1581 Hamilton in Cath. Tractates (S.T.S.) 77 The scripture, quhilk thaj thrau efter thair sensuall iugement. 1873 Murdoch Doric Lyre 86 (E.D.D.) What though he thraw'd the law, a wee? 1877 G. Macdonald Mrq. Lossie xxviii, They dinna thraw the words there jist the same gait they du at Portlossie. |
b. To change detrimentally the colour of, to discolour or cause to fade: cf. cast v. 24.
| Mod. Sc. dial. The sun has quite thrown my silk gown. |
† 4. a. To obtain or extract by twisting or wringing; to wrench; chiefly fig. to extort. Sc. Obs.
| 1513 Douglas æneis xii. vi. 120 Owt of hys [an enemy's] rycht hand Richt austernly has he thrawin the brand. 1591 R. Bruce Serm. R j b, When hee hath thrawne all these good turnes out of them. a 1598 Rollock Wks. (1844) II. vi. 73 He throws another accusation out of the Jews. |
† b. To force by torture or violence; to constrain. Sc. Obs.
| 1599 Jas. I βασιλ. Δωρον (1682) 96 Beware of thrawing or constraining them thereto. |
5. a. To cross, thwart, frustrate. Chiefly Sc.
| 1787 Burns When Guilford good, etc. vi, Saint Stephen's boys, wi' jarring noise, They did his measures thraw. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxvi, He's easy wi' a' body that will be easy wi' him; but if ye thraw him ye had better thraw the deevil. 1884 Lays & Leg. N. Irel. 11 If his Riv'rance released him he'd thraw him no more. |
b. intr. To go counter, to act in opposition; to be at variance or awkward; to exhibit dislike or aversion; to quarrel or contend with. Sc.
| a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. xxi. iv. (1728) 125 Bishop Forman had..caused the duke to thraw [so 3 MSS.; 2 MSS. stur(e] with him till he gave certain Benefices to the Duke to give unto his friends. 1807 Hogg Laird of Lairistan xxiii, Jealous of the Stuart race, The English lords begin to thraw. 1824 Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl. (1876) 214 At nature ay to girn and thraw..Is sure a sin infernal. 1888 D. Grant Scotch Stories 10 Thraw wi' him, an' he was just as stubborn an' rampageous as a wild ox. |
**
6. trans. To form or fashion by means of a rotary or twisting motion. a. To turn (wood, etc.) in a lathe; to shape (round pottery) on a potter's lathe or ‘throwing-wheel’. Now techn. or dial.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 493/1 Throwyn, or turne vessel of a tre, torno. 1570 Levins Manip. 45/39 To Thraw or turne, tornare. 1604 Shuttleworths' Acc. (Chetham Soc.) 159 To the disshe-thrower, ix days throwing disshes and bassenes..iijs. 1674 Ray N.C. Words, To Throw, to Turn as Turners doe. 1752 Gentl. Mag. Aug. 348 Rooms for throwing, turning, and stove drying the ware. 1755 Johnson s.v., Balls thrown in a lathe. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts, etc. 1011 Throwing is performed upon a tool called the potter's lathe... The mass of dough to be thrown is weighed out or gauged by an experienced hand. 1900 Daily News 25 May 6/2 Further on a potter is ‘throwing’ pots on his wheel. |
b. Silk Manuf. To prepare and twist (raw silk) into thread; spec. to form into thread by twisting two or more threads or ‘singles’ in the direction opposite to that of their component filaments.
| 1455 [implied in throwster 1]. 1463–4 [implied in thrown 2]. 1483 Act 1 Rich. III, c. 10 §1 Calle sylk or coleyn silk throwen or wrought. 1670 Blount Law-Dict., Silk-thrower,..a Trade, or Mystery, that winds, twists, and spins, or throws silk, thereby fitting it for use. 1796 Trans. Soc. Arts XIV. 328, I became convinced that Bengal Silk could be thrown in this country. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts, etc. 1105 The raw silk..requires to be regularly wound upon bobbins, doubled, twisted, and reeled in our silk-mills. These processes are called throwing silk, and their proprietors are called silk throwsters. 1877 Knight Dict. Mech. s.v. Thrown Singles, Silk filaments are twisted to form singles. Several of these are combined and twisted together (doubling) forming dumb singles. A number of the latter are associated and twisted together (throwing), forming thrown singles. 1897 Daily News 9 Dec. 10/5 Silk is still ‘thrown’ at Derby. |
c. To make by twisting: cf. throw-crook.
| 1896 P. A. Graham Red Scaur v. 78 We began to throw straw ropes for them. |
† 7. To form, fashion, dispose, arrange; = cast v. 45. Obs. rare.
| c 1320 Cast. Love 739 A Trone..Of whit Iuori..Wiþ Cumpas I-þrowen and wiþ gin al I-do. Ibid. 807 Þe þreo baylys..Þat wiþ þe cornels byth so feyre I-set, And throwen [v.r. I-cast] wiþ cumpas and walled abowte. |
II. To project or propel through the air, and connected uses; to cast, fling, hurl, drive, shoot (away from the propelling agent).
8. a. trans. To project (anything) with a force of the nature of a jerk, from the hand or arm, so that it passes through the air or free space; to cast, hurl, fling; spec. to cast by a sudden jerk or straightening of the arm, esp. at the level of or over the shoulder (as distinguished from bowl, pitch, toss). Cf. cast v. I.
Now the main sense of the word (= Fr. jeter, Ger. werfen, L. jacĕre, jactāre), which is contained or involved in all the later senses and applications; throw being the primary, most general, and most proper word for this action.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter cxxxix. [cxl.] 11 In fire sal tou thrawe þam swa. a 1300 K. Horn 1076 Horn þreu him ouer þe brigge. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 9 Ignacius..was i-brouȝt to Rome, and i-þrowe to wylde bestes. 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iv. 82 Ne had þei striked a strake..or þe blast come, Þey had be throwe ouere þe borde backe⁓warde ichonne. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 493/1 Throwyn, or castyn, jacto. 1513 Douglas æneis xi. vi. 142 Ane lance towartis his aduersar thrawis he. 1530 Palsgr. 756/1, I threwe a potte at his head. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. iii. 174 Jesabell, Quhome throw ane windo suirlie men did thraw. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxi. 108 When a man throweth his goods into the Sea for feare the ship should sink. 1724 De Foe Mem. Cavalier i. 76 I'd throw it [money] all into the Elbe. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xxiv, He threw the fellow a dollar. Ibid. xxxiii, Throwing Craigengelt from him with such violence that he rolled down the steps. 1863 Geo. Eliot Romola xx, There were practical jokes of all sorts, from throwing comfits to throwing stones. 1869 [see glass-house]. Mod. Throw me a rope. |
b. absol. To hurl a missile, a weapon, etc.
| 13.. Sir Beues (A.) 3106 Þow miȝt nouȝt sen ariȝt to þrowe. 1869 Temple Bar Mag. VI. 283 Parr threw 109 yards, the soldier only three yards less. 1889 Doyle M. Clarke 34 The turnip on a stick at which we used to throw at the fairs. |
† c. trans. To assail with missiles, to pelt. Obs. rare—1.
| 13.. K. Alis. 4702 (Bodl. MS.) Men hem þrew wiþ drytt & dunge [v.r. to heom threowe drit and donge]. |
9. refl. To fling or cast oneself; to precipitate oneself; † of a river, to precipitate itself, fall into another river, a lake, etc. (obs.) Also fig.
| 13.. Sir Beues (A.) 2179 Beues in to þe sadel him þrew. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 411 Alisaundre..þrewe hym self into a water þat renneþ þere. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 310 Another throweth himselfe headlong from the topp of an house, and breaketh his necke. c 1630 Risdon Surv. Devon §220 (1810) 227 The river Thrushell..throws itself into Lyd. 1714 Addison Spect. No. 556 ¶6, I..threw myself into an Assembly of Ladies. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xl, ‘This is too—too much!’ exclaimed Valancourt,..throwing himself into a chair. 1795 Burke Corr. (1844) IV. 324 If you throw yourself into one of the early coaches, you would be here very quickly. 1843 Lever J. Hinton xi, He threw himself upon his horse. |
b. to throw oneself upon: to attack with violence or vigour; to fall upon. (Cf. 28.)
| 1823 Scott Quentin D. iv, He threw himself upon the ragout, and the plate was presently vacant. |
10. a. trans. To cast (dice) from the dice-box; to make (a cast) at dice; also absol. or intr. to cast or throw dice, to play at dice. Also fig.
† to throw at all: to stake or venture all one has (obs.).
| 1587 Greene Penelopes Web Wks. (Grosart) V. 181 Least..we set our rest on the hazard and so desperately throw at all. 1601 Shakes. All's Well ii. iii. 84, I had rather be in this choise, then throw Ames-ace for my life. 1605 ― Lear i. iv. 136 Set lesse then thou throwest. a 1667 Jer. Taylor Wks. (1835) I. 533 (Cent.) That great day of expense, in which a man is to throw his last cast for an eternity of joys and sorrows. 1698 Act 10 Will. III, c. 23 §3 Every Person or Persons that..shall play throw or draw at any such Lottery..shall forfeite for every such Offence the Sum of Twenty Pounds. 1720 Lond. Gaz. No. 5872/6 The Winning Horse to be thrown for at 40 Guineas by the Contributors. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xxii, George had thrown the great cast. 1892 Monthly Packet May 558 If I should throw doublets, we will share the stakes. |
b. To play (a card) out of one's hand; esp. to discard.
| 1748 [see throw away, 37 c]. 1879 ‘Cavendish’ Card Ess., etc. 109 Throwing the ace of hearts to the last spade. 1891 Harper's Mag. Mar. 603/1 He can therefore safely throw his queen on the ace. 1891 Field 28 Nov. 842/3 We should throw four diamonds, and the seven of spades, but do not say it is the proper ‘discard’. |
c. To cast (a vote): = cast v. 1 f.
| 1768 W. Musgrave Let. 12 Feb. in 15th Rep. R. Comm. Hist. Manuscripts App. vi. 241 in Parl. Papers 1897 (C. 8551) LI. i. 1 But if they will be artful enough to throw their votes so as to choose one of your candidates, it is my opinion we ought to remain contented for the present. 1844 W. Phillips in Life of Garrison (1889) III. iv. 99 No one can take office, or throw a vote for another to hold office. 1888 Bryce Amer. Commw. I. v. 55 note, 37 additional presidential votes..all thrown for the Democratic candidate. 1890 Spectator 8 Mar., Their usual leaders do not know their thoughts, and until their votes are thrown, can form only guesses as to the way their sympathies are tending. |
11. To hurl, project, shoot, as a missile engine does; also of a person using such an engine. Often absol. (esp. in reference to distance or direction).
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 295 Sette mahon at þe mangonel and mulle-stones þroweþ. a 1400–50 Alexander 2218 Thre thousand of thra men to thraw with engynes. 1726 Leoni Alberti's Archit. I. 69/1 This will baulk the aim of the military engines, and make them throw over the wall. 1880 Daily Tel. 23 Dec., Although throwing only a 7lb. projectile, they [guns] are [etc.]. 1890 Clark Russell Ocean Trag. II. xviii. 106 That gun 'll throw about three quarters of a mile. 1900 Pollok & Thom Sports Burma vi. 212, I tried the weapon, and found that both barrels threw considerably to the left. |
12. To put forth with a throwing action (a fishing net, line, or bait); to cast, make a cast with. Also absol.
| 1777 J. Woodforde Diary 8 May (1924) I. 203 Bill caught only one little Miney but he did not throw above four times. 1841 Lane Arab. Nts. I. ii. 101 And threw his net. 1889 Crommelin & Brown Violet Vyvian II. ix. 154 Violet..learnt to throw a fly. 1891 Sat. Rev. 20 June 734/1 Good anglers..can throw to a hairbreadth and not miss. |
13. Of the sea or wind: † a. To toss or drive violently about; also, to drive, send, impel (obs. rare); b. esp. to drive or cast with violence (on rocks or a coast); to cast away, wreck.
| 1382 Wyclif Matt. xiv. 24 Sothely the boot in the mydil see was throwen [L. iactabatur] with wawis. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. xvii, My feble bote full fast to stere and rowe,..the wynter nyght I wake, To wayte the wynd that furth⁓ward suld me throwe. 1659 D. Pell Impr. Sea Proœm. d ij b, They are thrown irrecoverably upon Rocks and Sands. 1879 W. Minto Defoe ix. 142 [He] might have been thrown on a desert island. 1886 Burton Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.) I. 126 A billow..threw me with a long cast on dry land. |
14. a. To project (a ray, beam, light) on, upon, over, etc.; to emit (light); to project, cast (a shadow).
| 1598 B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. iii. i, To through the least beame of regard upon such a [fellow]. 1600 Fairfax Tasso xviii. xv, The morning's lusty queen, Begilding, with the radiant beams she threw, His helm. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian vii, A nun, kneeling..beneath a lamp which threw its rays aslant her head. 1876 Tait Rec. Adv. Phys. Sc. ix. (ed. 2) 213 Throwing the spectrum of light..on the screen. 1893 Harper's Mag. Jan. 280/2 The great mound..threw a long shadow westward. |
b. In fig. phrases, esp. to throw (a) light on, to contribute to the elucidation of, to make clearer or plainer; to throw a lustre over, to illuminate or render lustrous; also to throw a shadow, cloud, gloom, over: see the ns.
| 1598 [see prec. sense]. 1769 [see lustre n.1 4]. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) V. 78 The testimony of a single witness..will throw more light on the subject than the reasonings of an hundred philosophers. 1825 Moore Sheridan I. 510 It was in the power of the orator..to throw a lustre over the historian. 1825 T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Passion & Princ. ix. III. 153 Showers of rain..threw a gloom over the gaieties. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. p. xviii, Ancient and modern philosophy throw a light upon one another. 1890 Sir A. Kekewich in Law Times Rep. LXIII. 684/1 The defendants' evidence does not throw much light on the question. |
15. a. To direct (words, an utterance) towards, etc., esp. in hostility or contempt; to hurl, cast; to cause (sound, or fig. a gesture) to pass or travel; to waft (a kiss), to cast (a nod); to project (the voice); also, spec. as in ventriloquism. Cf. sense 44 c below.
| 1580 Sidney Ps. xxxi. ix, Those lips..Which..throw their words against the most vpright. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. i. iii. 3 Not a word? Ros. Not one to throw at a dog. a 1748 Watts (J.), There is no need to throw words of contempt on such a practice. 1822 Scott Nigel i, The poor youth had not a word to throw at a dog. 1831 ― Cast. Dang. ii, ‘Never fear me, Augustine,’ said the old man,..throwing a kiss towards the boy. 1844 Mrs. Browning Drama of Exile Poems 1850 I. 75 The blessed nightingale which threw Its melancholy music after us. 1892 Field 19 Nov. 771/2 The hideous yells that were thrown at him. 1962 A. Nisbett Technique Sound Studio 263 In dead acoustics the ratio of direct to indirect sound cannot be varied, as indirect sound must be kept to a minimum. In this case it may help if an actor ‘throws’ his voice, simulating raising it to talk or shout from a distance. 1972 A. Price Col. Butler's Wolf xx. 222 He threw his voice past Ryleiev into the mist. 1976 Listener 23/30 Dec. 830/1, I can throw my voice. I could make a fortune as a medium. |
b. to throw the tongue: see tongue.
16. to throw one's eye or eyes, throw a glance, throw a look: to turn or direct one's gaze, to look; esp. to look hastily, rapidly, or cursorily; to glance: = cast v. 7.
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. i. 16 Still as she fledd her eye she backward threw. 1779 Mirror No. 17. ¶1 To throw your eye sometimes upon the inferior ranks of life. 1800 Char. in Asiat. Ann. Reg. 45/1 The mother lifting up her eyes,..instantly threw them to the ground. 1885 Fitzpatrick T.N. Burke II. 35 Happening to throw his eye over the address delivered..at Boston. 1892 Longm. Mag. Jan. 276 Mrs. Duffield..threw inquiring glances across the table. |
17. a. To give, deliver (blows); also absol. or intr. to aim blows, strike. (Cf. to ‘lay about him’.) Now usu. in phr. to throw a punch, to deliver a blow with the clenched fist; occas. with fist as obj.
| c 1470 Golagros & Gaw. 709 Thai threw in that thrang Stalwart strakis and strang. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. ix. 16 Then drew he his bright sword, and gan about him throw. 1923 H. C. Witwer Fighting Blood xi. 348, I set myself, took careful aim and threw my right at his chin. 1950 J. Dempsey Championship Fighting xvi. 92 You're throwing perfect punches. 1976 J. Lewis Shadows of Death iv. 54 Maybe the kid had a hammer in his glove; surely he couldn't have thrown a punch hard enough to hurt him like that one had. 1983 Daily Tel. 3 Feb. 3/3 Mr Oatway..threw punches at the second bandit. |
† b. trans. ? To deliver a blow at; to strike.
| c 1470 Henry Wallace iv. 252 That staff he had, hewy and forgyt new, With it Wallace wpon the hede him threw, Quhill bayn and brayn all in to sondyr ȝeid. |
18. a. To perform, execute (a somersault or a leap, in which the body is thrown with force); also to throw a fit, to have a fit (slang (orig. U.S.)). Chiefly fig.
| 1826 Examiner 585/1 Throw a somerset, leap a stick, tumble through a hoop. 1889 Baden-Powell Pigsticking viii. 39 Mr. Kingscote threw about three back somersaults. Ibid. xiii. 99 Don't be surprised to find your horse unexpectedly ‘throwing leps’. 1896 S. Crane Maggie (rev. ed.) iii. 22 Deh ol' woman 'ill be trowin' fits. 1897 Flandrau Harvard Episodes 132, I don't suppose the creature thought I was throwing a fit like that just for exercise. 1926 S.P.E. Tract xxiv. 126 Father threw a fit when I came home drunk. 1930 Observer 4 May 15 Caesar throws his fit, off stage. 1954 Koestler Invis. Writing 172 One day this was discovered by Zsuzsa, who threw a fit. 1973 ‘R. Macleod’ Burial in Portugal v. 97 ‘Please, Jonathan. If I am late—.’ ‘The management will throw a fit,’ he completed for her. |
b. To give or hold (a party), esp. one of an informal or impromptu nature. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
| 1922 S. Lewis Babbitt xxxix. 339 Saturday night, when they would..‘throw a party’. 1937 Even. News 6 Mar. 11/5 Anona Winn threw a party a few nights ago at her flat in Maida Vale. 1960 Sunday Express 13 Mar. 12/7 She..threw a champagne and scampi party at a nearby pub. 1978 Detroit Free Press 5 Mar. b 2/2 When all else fails, throw a party. |
c. to throw a wobbly: see wobbly n.2 III. Pregnant uses.
* = throw down; ** = throw off; *** = throw out or up.
*
19. a. trans. To cause to fall to the ground; to cast down, knock down, prostrate, lay low; spec. in Wrestling, to bring (one's opponent) to the ground, also with double object, to throw one a fall. Cf. throw down, 40.
| 13.. K. Alis. 2219 (Bodl. MS.) A riche kyng..smoot tholomewe Þat he of his hors hym þrewe. Tholomeu on fote lep, And who hym þrewe he name gode kepe. 1530 Palsgr. 756/1 Wrestell nat with me, for I wyll throwe the on thy backe. c 1620 T. Robinson Mary Magd. 819 A newe delusion throughes Her pride as lowe as Phlegetonicke maine. 1820 Sporting Mag. VI. 177 Tom..throwed his opponent in masterly style. 1824 in Examiner 759/1 Cannon, grappling his man, threw him a tremendous fall. 1902 Brit. Med. Jrnl. No. 2154. 880 Three years ago [he] was thrown at football and hurt his knee. |
b. fig. or in fig. context: To defeat in a contest; also, to be the cause of defeat to; to give or gain the verdict against in an action at law (U.S.): cf. cast v. 14.
| 1850 Tennyson In Mem. cix. 6 Seraphic intellect and force To seize and throw the doubts of man. 1887 in Lisbon (Dakota) Star 20 May 2/5, ‘I am compelled to throw you in the cost’, said a justice of the peace. 1888 Poultry, Pigeons, etc. 27 July 377 (Prize list) Third..a good black Red, but a little out of feather, which, no doubt, threw her. 1909 W. R. Inge Faith xi. (1910) 193 The sceptic cannot throw his opponent if his own feet are in the air. |
c. To lose (a contest, race, etc.) deliberately or by corrupt prearrangement. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
| 1868 H. Woodruff Trotting Horse Amer. xxxi. 263 It was..very unjust to charge Mr. Nodine with throwing the race. 1940 ‘E. Queen’ in Blue Bk. Oct. 27/1 ‘Brown threw the fight?’ asked..a member of the Boxing Commission. 1951 Manch. Guardian Weekly 1 Mar. 15/1 Baseball games had been ‘thrown’ by bribed players. 1959 News Chron. 19 Aug. 6/3 He was accused of..fixing the World Series of 1919. This was the equivalent of arranging that one side in the Cup Final should throw the game. 1978 Times 9 Jan. 8/5 During the Chancellorship of Mr Roy Jenkins, Lord Allen had to ‘throw’ their occasional [tennis] matches for fear of puncturing the considerable vanity of his political master. |
20. a. To cause forcibly (a tree or structure) to fall; to bring, knock, break, or cut down; to fell. In Coal-mining: see quot. 1881.
| 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 139 Some of them, they threwe to the grounde and consumed with fire. 1878 Jefferies Gamekeeper at H. i. 14 In the spring when the oak timber is throwed [dial. speech]. Ibid. iii. 52 The entire wood is thrown and renovated. 1881 Raymond Mining Gloss., Throwing,..the operation of breaking out the spurns, so as to leave the hanging coal unsupported, except by its own cohesion. 1908 Daily News 25 Jan. 9 Some 40 telephone wires had to be temporarily cut, in order to enable the [chimney] shaft to be ‘thrown’. |
b. spec. to throw an ant-hill: see quot. and cf. geld v.1 3 d. dial.
| 1848 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. IX. i. 17 Ant-hills..are quickly checked by throwing, or gelding. 1848 [see geld v.1 3 d]. |
**
21. Of a horse, etc.: To cause (the rider) to fall off; to unseat, shake off; = throw off, 42 a; also in passive to be thrown (from a horse or vehicle).
| 1531 Elyot Gov. ii. xiii, The courser..will stere and plonge and endeuour hym selfe to throwe hym. 1623 Massinger Bondman ii. ii, This morning, As I rode to take the air, the untutored jade Threw me, and kicked me. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. xii. 265 One of their horses fell down and threw his rider. 1890 J. Payn Burnt Million II. xxx. 248 He was thrown from his horse in the steeplechase. 1893 Field 4 Mar. 335/3 Had the [bicycle-] rider been thrown or killed. |
22. Of a snake, a bird, etc.: To cast (the skin); to moult (feathers). Of a horse: to cast or lose (a shoe).
| 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. ii. i. 255 There the snake throwes her enammel'd skinne. 1765 Treat. Dom. Pigeons 41 If your Pigeons..stop in their molting, so that they don't throw their feathers well. 1821 Scott Kenilw. ix, To shoe my horse,..you may see that he has thrown a forefoot shoe. 1841 J. T. J. Hewlett Parish Clerk I. 168 The post-boy..contrived to ‘throw a shoe’ [i.e. off his horse]. |
23. a. Of domestic animals: To produce as offspring; to give birth to, to drop. Also absol., to throw true, to produce offspring true to the parent type. (Cf. also throw back, 38 d.)
| 1845 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. V. ii. 546 You cannot possibly tell what sort of foal your mare may throw. 1858 Ibid. XIX. i. 28 In a breeding sow for a dairy farm..we should have a disposition to throw large farrows and a good supply of milk. 1892 Pall Mall G. 16 June 2/3 Each of these [three varieties of the rabbit] has marked and unmistakable characteristics, and each of them, to use the naturalist's phrase, ‘throws true’. 1903 Times 9 Jan. 5/2 In 1884 she threw a calf to a bison bull. |
b. gen. To produce: see quots.
| 1891 Morning Post 25 Dec. 6/5 Indian or Ceylon teas..throw a stronger liquor than the same amount of China tea would in double or treble the time. 1892 Garden 27 Aug. 194 Sown early and transplanted a good distance apart, the plants will throw immense heads of flowers. |
***
24. Of a fountain or pump: To eject or project (water); to discharge; also absol. Of a locomotive steam-engine: to throw fire, to discharge burning fuel from the funnel. Cf. throw out, up, senses 44, 48.
| 1644 Evelyn Diary 27 Feb., The fountain of Laocoon is in a large square pool, throwing the water neere 40 feet high. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 374 (orig. 241) The Waters boil, and belching from below, Black Sands, as from a forceful Engine throw. 1806 O. Gregory Mech. (1807) II. 175 A machine by which water is thrown upon fires. 1864 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XXV. ii. 293 The pumps..throw daily 60,000 to 70,000 gallons. 1893 Field 4 Mar. 332/3 Bad stoking may be..the cause of a locomotive ‘throwing fire’. |
25. A horse is said to throw his feet, when he lifts them well in moving, esp. over rough ground. Also transf. (slang): see quot. 1900. U.S.
| 1827 Scott Chron. Canongate ii, A famous piece of rough upland pasture, for rearing young colts, and teaching them to throw their feet. 1900 J. Flynt Tramping w. Tramps iv. 397 Throw the Feet, to beg, ‘hustle’, or do anything that involves much action. 1907 [see poke-out s.v. poke n.3 1 b]. 1934 Amer. Ballads & Folk Songs 24 They had mooched the stem and threw their feet. |
26. To form by throwing up with a spade or shovel; to cast up, raise (a mound, etc.); = throw up, 48 d. rare.
| 1843 Marryat M. Violet xlii, Nearly all the hills in this part of New York were thrown by human hands. |
27. To vomit; cf. throw up, 48 b. Sc. and dial.
| 18.. Wilson Tyneside Songs (1890) 374 He retched an' he threw i' the hight oo his anguish. Mod. Sc. ‘I no sooner get up but I begin to throw’. |
IV. Intransitive senses related to II and III.
28. intr. To cast or fling oneself impetuously; to spring, start, leap, rush. Obs. exc. as in quots. 1812, 1891, and in sense 48 j.
(Allied in sense to 9, but found earlier, and app. not derived from it.)
| c 1205 Lay. 807 Of his horse he þreou [c 1275 aþreu]. Ibid. 12321 Þa cheorles up þreowen [c 1275 vp þreuwen]. 1508 [see throw out, 44 o]. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) II. 192 Out of his wame ane meruelus multitude Of foule serpentis..thair threw. 1812 Sporting Mag. XXXIX. 186 Which she [the hare] was prevented doing by all the dogs throwing at her at the same time. 1891 Atkinson Moorland Par. 83 The black dog, according to the expression used, ‘threw at her’. |
† 29. intr. To fall with violence or force. Obs.
(Looks like an intrans. or passive of sense 19, but occurs earlier.)
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6831 Þe king bi an laddre to þe ssip clam an hey & þreu vp to doun in þe se. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 201 He þrompelde atte þrexwolde and þreuh [v.rr. fel, stey] to þe grounde. |
V. Figurative and transferred senses.
30. a. trans. To cause to pass, go, or come into some place or position by some action likened to throwing; to put or place with haste, suddenness, or force; e.g. to put (a garment) on or off hurriedly, hastily, or carelessly.
(Many of these uses come very near the literal sense, and form a transition to the more fig. senses following.)
| c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame iii. 235 And euery man Of hem..Had on him throwen a vesture. a 1400 Sir Beues (E.) 3777 + 3 Euery knyȝt and hys squyer Fayre queyntyse on hem ganne þrowe For no man scholde hem knowe. 1655 Stanley Hist. Philos. iii. (1701) 101/1 He is now coming to Athens, being thrown out of his House by the People. 1711 Spect. No. 116 ¶6 The Hare immediately threw them [the hounds] above a Mile behind her. 1722 Steele in Addison's Drummer Ded., He only spoke it, and I took all the Pains of throwing it upon Paper. 1786 J. Hunter Treat. Venereal Dis. vi. iii. §2 (1810) 509 The quantity of mercury, to be thrown into the constitution..must be proportioned to the violence of the disease. 1799 Med. Jrnl. I. 424 No doubt but the father would have suffered equally with the son, had it [poison] not so soon been thrown off the stomach. 1806 Coleridge Three Graves xxxiii, Her arms Round Ellen's neck she threw. 1816 J. Dallaway Stat. & Sculp. 350 The paludamentum was a vestment..thrown over the cuirass and fastened over the shoulder with a golden clasp. 1843 R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. vii. 84 note, I threw some common injection into the tibial arteries. 1859 Musketry Instr. 39 Throw the rifle smartly to the front of the right shoulder. 1891 A. Gissing Moorland Idyll II. iv. 102 To throw a hand to a drowning man. |
b. In figurative uses of various phrases, as to throw the reins on, to throw a veil over, etc.; to throw good money after bad, to incur a further loss in trying to make good a previous one; to throw oneself or be thrown at (a man), of a woman, to put herself or be put designedly in the way of, so as to invite the attention of; to throw oneself into the arms of, to become the wife or mistress of.
| c 1611 Chapman Iliad i. 214 Throw Reins on thy passions, and serve us. 1789 H. More Lett. (1925) 127 The women all threw themselves at his head. 1825 Scott Talism. iv, That modest pride which throws fetters even on love itself. 1831 ― Ct. Rob. xxxi, To be, without her own consent, thrown, as it were, at the head now of one suitor, now of another. 1833 J. H. Newman Arians ii. i. (1876) 147 However plausible may be the veil thus thrown over heterogeneous doctrines, the flimsy artifice is discomposed so soon as [etc.]. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. IV. xviii. 231 Their wives were throwing themselves into the arms of other men. a 1891 Besant in J. M. Dixon Idiom. Eng. Phr. 336 As for the girls, Claire, they just throw themselves at a man. |
c. With immaterial object (e.g. blame, influence, power, obstacles, etc.).
| c 1620 T. Robinson Mary Magd. 301 So the bewitchinge oracle y{supt} throughes, About the maidens fancy, strange Deludinge showes. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 325 Thro' Heav'n, and Earth, and Ocean's Depth he throws His Influence round. 1718 Pope Iliad xiii. 291 On Greece no blame be thrown. 1753 J. Collier Art Torment. ii. ii. (1811) 129 Throw a languidness into your countenance;..appear so perfectly dejected and low-spirited, that [etc.]. 1856 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XVII. ii. 367 The carriage of materials is usually thrown upon the tenant. 1869 W. Longman Hist. Edw. III, I. viii. 138 Philip threw every obstacle in the way of reconciliation. 1871 Earle Philol. Eng. T. 133 They throw the accent often on the close of a word. 1890 T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. from 1689 36 Skill in such arts gradually threw real power into the hands of a ring. |
d. To put into as an addition; to add, incorporate; = throw in, 41 b.
| 1676 Lister in Ray's Corr. (1848) 125, I would either put them [observations] out separately,..or throw them into Mr. Willughby's store. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. VI. 503 The saddle being thrown into the bargain. a 1904 A. Adams Log Cowboy vii. 85 Flood's attention once drawn to the brand, he ordered them thrown into our herd. |
e. colloq. To engage (the clutch or gears) of a motor vehicle. Also transf. with the vehicle as obj. Usu. with in, into.
| 1904 A. B. F. Young Compl. Motorist vii. 176 The mighty engine is fretting and heating itself with impatience, and the clutch is continually being thrown in and out. 1969 J. T. Story Dishonourable Member ii. 16, I was forced to rev my engine and throw the gears into reverse. 1979 N. Slater Falcon x. 177 He threw the cruising Alfa into third gear and powered away. |
f. trans. = throw down, sense 40 d. Also absol.
| 1923 A. L. Simon Supply, Care & Sale of Wine xvi. 111 If red wines be shipped and bottled too early, they will throw a heavy sediment in the bottle instead of lees in casks. 1930 Field & Weill Electro-Plating iv. 64 With copper and zinc sulphate solutions..there is little tendency to ‘throw’. 1956 S. M. Tritton Amateur Wine Making iii. 89 The wine..should not throw a deposit nor form bubbles round the perimeter of the liquid. 1970 Daily Tel. 7 July 13/1 Wines throw their deposit or sediment differently. |
g. To operate (a switch), esp. by moving a lever. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
| 1930 E. B. White Let. July (1976) 94 One of the men ran and threw the switch in the foundry, cutting off the current. 1940 ‘N. Shute’ Landfall 152 If it goes higher you must throw this switch. 1959 Listener 29 Jan. 211/1 If the trespasser's clothes are caught in moving machinery, is not the owner of the premises under a duty to throw the switch in order to stop the machine? 1978 Times 20 Nov. 2/3 More than 14,000 civil servants are engaged on government computer work. Those with the direct power to throw the switches..number 1,728. |
31. spec. a. A person is said to be thrown into prison, etc. when roughly or forcibly imprisoned.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 175 The Turke throweth his Ambassadoure in pryson. 1776 Trial of Nundocomar 73/1 When Maha Rajah was first thrown into confinement. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 630 This impostor was thrown into prison for his fraud. 1892 Gardiner Stud. Hist. Eng. 285 Richard was carried to London and thrown into the Tower. |
b. Troops, succour, supplies, or the like are said to be thrown into a besieged place, or a strategic position. Also refl.
| 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 119 The Town had beene carried..if Sir Francis Vere had not throwne himselfe into it with one thousand sixe hundred English. 1693 Mem. Cnt. Teckely ii. 145 A great number of Gentry, who had thrown themselves into the place. 1736 T. Lediard Life Marlborough I. 157 The States..threw 12,000 Men into that Place. 1823 Examiner 95/2 Provisions had been thrown into Corinth previously to this incursion. 1836 Alison Hist. Europe (1849–50) V. xxvii. §68. 58 He threw six thousand men across the principal arm into a wooded island. 1844 H. H. Wilson Brit. India iii. ii. III. 57 A detachment was thrown forward to Ramoo. 1869 T. Hughes Alfred ix. 108 He throws himself into a castle or fort called Cynwith. |
c. A bridge or arch is said to be thrown from one side to another of, or over, a river, passage, or space. Also fig.
| 1751 J. Brown Shaftesb. Charac. 74 This visionary arch which he hath..thrown over the depths of error. 1793 Regal Rambler 74 He proposes to throw a bridge over the Fleet-market. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xlii. note, The skill to throw an arch,..or erect a stair. 1849 Tait's Mag. XVI. 16/1 A suspension bridge has been thrown over the river. |
32. a. To cause to fall, pass, or come into or out of some condition or relation (or place or thing implying this); properly with the connotation of abruptness, suddenness, or force; to cast, force, drive, plunge, thrust. Usually with prep.
| 1560 Becon Chr. Knt. Wks. II. 148 Adam & Eua, whom after thou haddest deceaued through thy lyenge, thou threwest them hedlonge into synne and death. a 1652 J. Smith Sel. Disc. ix. viii. (1859) 442 God hath never thrown the world from Himself. 1705 in Hearne Collect. 28 Sept. (O.H.S.) I. 49 They..threaten'd to..throw me out of my Chaplain's place. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xviii, The fatigues I had undergone threw me into a fever. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas xii. vii. (Rtldg.) 432 Chance threw me across him, as he came out of a printing-house. 1815 Scott Guy M. xviii, I do not suspect his equanimity of being so easily thrown off its balance. 1821 Examiner 386/1, I cannot let the land be thrown out of cultivation. 1869 W. Longman Hist. Edw. III, I. iv. 63 The Scots were thrown into confusion. 1893 Nat. Observ. 7 Oct. 527/1 Recruited by men thrown idle by the selfish policy. |
b. To put deftly into a particular form or shape; to express in a specified form (in speech or writing); to convert or change into some other form; to turn or translate into another language.
| 1723 Waterland 2nd Vind. Christ's Div. xxiii. Wks. 1823 III. 408, I have reason to complain of your..not throwing your disjointed materials into a more neat and regular order. 1740 J. Clarke Educ. Youth (ed. 3) 177 A Master should be able to throw the Latin..into proper English. 1766 Compl. Farmer s.v. Lucern, A quarter of an acre; which we threw into fifty-four rows. 1789 Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France, etc. I. Pref. 6, I have not thrown my thoughts into the form of private letters. 1824 Examiner 362/1 Two dress boxes..were thrown into one. 1892 H. R. Mill Realm Nat. xii. 233 The surface..is thrown into a sheet of ridges. 1893 Traill Soc. Eng. Introd. 30 Cædmon..throws Scripture into metrical paraphrase. |
c. to throw open (throw apart, throw asunder): to set open (separate, break asunder) with a sudden or energetic impulse; hence fig. to make publicly accessible or available (also to throw open the gates of). to throw open one's doors to, to receive as a guest, to welcome.
| 1709–10 Addison Tatler No. 116 ¶1, I had ordered the Folding-Doors to be thrown open. c 1790 J. Imison Sch. Art I. 72 The explosion of the gun-powder will throw asunder the roof. 1827 Roberts Voy. Centr. Amer. 235 The depositories were not thrown open. 1830 Examiner 408/2 The railway..will be thrown open..in August. 1844 A. B. Welby Poems (1867) 46 As the blossom waits the breeze Before it throws the leaves apart. 1850 Tait's Mag. XVII. 85/2 Labouring to throw open the gates of commerce. 1885 Mrs. C. Praed Affinities vi, He..threw open the shutters. 1890 T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. from 1689 192 A University Reform Act..threw open the endowments. |
d. To disconcert or confuse (someone), to disturb, upset. Cf. sense 44 l. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
| 1844 E. B. Browning Lett. to M. R. Mitford (1983) II. 431 He appeared to me far more thrown by this last adversity than he ever was by the death of his Katy. |
| 1941 B. Schulberg What makes Sammy Run? vi. 104 Don't let Julian's worries throw you. 1950 L. Kaufman Jubel's Children xxiii. 247, I knew my way around in a restaurant and a bill of fare. Sometimes, even those French dishes didn't throw me. 1961 C. Willock Death in Covert ix. 172 Miche refused to be thrown. ‘I rather like enthusiasms,’ she said gallantly. 1964 Mrs. L. B. Johnson White House Diary 16 June (1970) 169 Although I was a bit thrown by the mix-up over the two Mrs. Does, I felt this was one of those times that shows whether or not you've got poise and inner calm. 1978 Browning Inst. Studies VI. 72 One might almost suspect that Browning was trying to ‘throw’ his reader. 1981 P. Dickinson Seventh Raven iv. 47 It'll throw those kids if they have to make the change at the last moment. |
e. To break or render inoperable (something mechanical). colloq. (orig. and chiefly U.S.).
| 1954 Amer. Speech XXIX. 103 Throw a clutch,..to break a clutch, usually in speed-shifting. ‘On the fourth run we threw a clutch, so that was the end.’ 1976 Billings (Montana) Gaz. 1 July 4-e/1 A truck for Springfield, Va., threw its transmission near Towson. 1980 Dirt Bike Oct. 43/2 Suzuki teammate Barnett threw a chain while running fourth early in the race. |
33. refl. to throw oneself on or upon: to have urgent recourse to (some one) for succour, support, or protection; to commit oneself entirely to (his generosity, mercy, or the like). Also in pass. to be made or become dependent upon.
| 1650 Jer. Taylor Holy Living iv. i. 235 In time of temptation be not busie to dispute, but..throw your self upon God. 1801 C. Smith Lett. Solit. Wand. I. 87 To throw myself into the protection of my only parent. 1812 Examiner 24 Aug. 534/1 They are obliged to throw themselves on the parish for aid. 1830 Ibid. 550/1 Thrown upon their own resources. 1877 C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. ix. 80 His wife threw herself upon James's mercy. 1891 Temple Bar Mag. Apr. 489, I must throw myself upon Ida's indulgence. |
34. a. to throw oneself into: to engage in with zeal or earnestness.
| 1847 C. Brontë J. Eyre III. viii. 184 And try to restrain the disproportionate fervour with which you throw yourself into common-place home pleasures. 1868 in Q. Victoria Life Highl. Pref. 7 A mind..throwing itself..into the enjoyment of [etc.]. 1871 Freeman Hist. Ess. Ser. i. iv. 113 The faculty of throwing himself with a lively interest into times so alien to our own. 1881 Gardiner & Mullinger Stud. Eng. Hist. i. v. 86 England threw herself..into a war of conquest against France. 1888 Burgon Lives 12 Gd. Men II. v. 46 He was..prepared to throw himself heart and soul into any project. |
b. So to throw one's soul, heart, life, spirit, energy, efforts, etc. into a thing or action.
| 1829 Examiner 373/2 She threw her whole soul into her voice. 1868 E. Edwards Ralegh I. iii. 43 He continued to throw all his energy into the distasteful duty. 1890 Field 8 Nov. 707/3 The Blackheath forwards threw great spirit into their play. |
VI. In combination with adverbs.
35. throw about. a. trans. See simple senses and about.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 163 This sleuthe..a slynge made, And threwe drede of dyspayre a dozein myle aboute. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. iii. 52 They..threw everything about in such a manner, that the poor men found..some of their things a mile off. 1885 Manch. Exam. 6 May 5/1 A policeman had seen him throwing his arms about. 1942 Tee Emm (Air Ministry) II. 85 The operational fighter pilot..wants an aircraft..easily manœuvreable so that he can throw it about when necessary. 1959 Motor 11 Nov. 524/1 On the confined test ground it seemed easier to ‘throw about’ than the big B.M.W., but neither car could show its paces in the space available. |
b. Naut. absol. or intr. To turn about at once; to go directly upon the other tack; to go about, put about. Also fig. Also to throw round.
| 1591 Spenser M. Hubberd 80, I..meane for better winde about to throwe. 1757 Capt. Randall in Naval Chron. XIV. 98 They threw about, and stood for us again. 1894 Times 10 July 11/1 When the vessels next met the American was far enough ahead to throw about on the Britannia's weather bow. 1894 Daily News 24 July 8/4 Shortly afterwards Vigilant threw round, and stood in. |
36. throw aside. a. trans. See simple senses and aside.
| 1530 Palsgr. 281/1 Throwyng asyde, disordring, debaux. 1695 Telfair New Confut. Sadd. (1696) 10 His dog catcht a Fulmard by the way, which Andrew threw aside when he came into the House. 1841 Lane Arab. Nts. I. i. 44 When thou atest the date, and threwest aside the stone, it struck my son. Ibid. ii. 79 He threw aside the jar. 1857 Miller Elem. Chem. (1862) III. 162 When masses of the husk of the grape..are thrown aside, and allowed to ferment. |
b. spec. To cast aside out of use, or as useless; fig. to discard, cease to use.
| 1827 Clare Sheph. Cal. 59 The old beechen bowl..is thrown aside. 1857 Miller Elem. Chem. (1862) III. 14 A little of the dried oxide of copper, which is thrown aside. 1880 Fowler Locke viii. 128 He throws aside the technical phraseology of the schools. |
37. throw away. † a. trans. To cast away from oneself; to reject; to refuse to admit or accept. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif 1 Sam. xv. 23 Forthi..that thow hast throwen aweye the word of the Lord, the Lord hath throwen awey thee, that thow be not kyng. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 12 Þrow not awey þat þou hast to forhonde approved. |
b. To cast away out of one's hands or possession as useless or unneeded.
| 1530 Palsgr. 756/2, I throwe awaye, as we do thynges that we care nat for.., je deguerpis,..je desjecte. a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 204 b, The Lyncolnshyre men..threw away their coates, the lighter to runne away, and fled. a 1667 Jer. Taylor (J.), He that will throw away a good book because not gilded, is more curious to please his eye than understanding. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. i. i. §5 They will..throw away the Blessings their hands are fill'd with, because they are not big enough to grasp every thing. 1700 Dryden Charac. Gd. Parson 37 He melts, and throws his cumbrous cloak away. 1742 Lond. & Country Brew. i. (ed. 4) 64 A fresh Cask must be tapped..and the remaining Part of the other throw'd away. 1893 Hodges Elem. Photogr. (1907) 101 The used solution..is thrown away. |
c. To spend or use without adequate return; to squander, waste; to bestow upon an unworthy object; also, to neglect to take advantage of (an opportunity, etc.); spec. at Cards, to play (a losing card) when one cannot follow suit, to discard; spec. in Cricket, to lose (a wicket) through careless play.
| 1653 Jer. Taylor Serm. for Year i. xxii. 294 We are pleased to throw away our time. 1714 Spect. No. 624 ¶1 Advice..would be but thrown away upon them. 1748 Hoyle Games Impr. (1778) 56 Do not trump it, but throw away a losing Card, which makes room for your Partner's Suit. 1761 Gray Let. to Wharton 9 May, I had rather Major G. throwed away his money than somebody else. 1798 Wordsw. We are Seven xvii, 'Twas throwing words away; for still The little Maid would have her will. 1861 Temple Bar Mag. II. 447 The Abbé's prayers will not be thrown away. 1898 K. S. Ranjitsinhji With Stoddart's Team (ed. 4) xii. 237 Many wickets were thrown away by the batsmen at critical periods by careless and hasty strokes. 1904 P. F. Warner How we recovered Ashes ix. 185 Braund, Bosanquet, and Rhodes literally threw their wickets away. a 1912 Mod. Do not throw away your chance. 1977 World of Cricket Monthly June 42/3 Once in Lahore, Pakistan, he threw away his wicket so that Australia could win. |
d. refl. to throw oneself away: chiefly said of a woman in reference to marriage.
| 1680 Otway Orphan i. i, Where Dilatory Fortune plays the Jilt With the brave noble honest gallant man, To throw her self away on Fools and Knaves. 1891 E. Peacock N. Brendon I. 243 She had thrown herself away on one utterly unworthy of her. |
e. Theatr. To deliver (lines) in a casual manner; to underemphasize or play down (usu. for increased dramatic effect). Also absol. and transf. Cf. throw-away B. 3.
| 1934 J. Agate in Sunday Times 18 Nov. 4/1 The spectator becomes aware of a fixed determination on the actor's part to make as little as possible of anything that can be called the orthodox ‘acting’ of the part, to throw away—in the actor's sense—everything except the highest of its poetry and the most sensitive of its philosophy. 1957 Times Lit. Suppl. 11 Oct. 611/3 Mr Fleming can be exuberant; but he prefers, in the stage term, to ‘throw away’, something he does just as neatly and wittily as du Maurier used to do it in the theatre. 1959 Times 26 May 13/4 In this part he again covered up for his author by charmingly throwing away as many lines as possible. 1959 Listener 14 May 861/1 The acting was deliberately played down for microphone purposes... This no doubt necessary business of ‘throwing it away’ must involve some losses as well as some odd reading of parts. |
38. throw back. a. trans. See simple senses and back adv.
| a 1822 Shelley A Juno Wks. 1888 I. 410 The manner in which the act of throwing back one leg is expressed. 1831 Scott Cast. Dang. i, The reflection of the evening sun, sometimes thrown back from pool or stream. 1859 Habits Gd. Soc. iii. 148 The frock-coat should be ample and loose, and a tall well-built man may throw it back. 1890 Gerard Sensitive Plant (1891) III. iii. xvi. 149 Each tall mirror threw back the image in the other. |
b. To put back in time or condition; to delay, make late, throw behind; to retard or check in expected or desired progress; to reduce to a previous or lower condition.
| 1840 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. I. iv. 453, I..am not thrown back in getting the land sown. 1850 Ibid. XI. ii. 419 Wet weather is what throws sheep back. 1858 Ibid. XIX. ii. 294 The loss of that fortnight..throws an incoming tenant back a whole year. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. II. vii. 114 That..parliamentary life which..the Norman Conquest threw back for many generations. |
c. With upon: to compel to fall back upon, or recur to; cf. fall v. 82.
| 1851 J. H. Newman Cath. in Eng. Ded., The violence of our enemies has thrown us back upon ourselves and upon each other. 1892 Chamb. Jrnl. 4 June 355/2 If there is no comic boy,..we are thrown back upon Checkley. |
d. intr. To revert to an ancestral type or character not present in recent generations; to exhibit atavism. colloq. Also fig. (Cf. 23.)
| 1879 ‘Cavendish’ Card Ess., etc. 63 ‘Throwing back’ more nearly..to the parent games, Poker..is invented. 1887 A. Lang Myth, Rit. & Relig. I. 195 Another child may be said in the language of dogbreeders to have ‘thrown back’. 1893 Standard 22 Apr. 4/3 In politics Lord Derby ‘threw back’ to the family creed of an earlier generation. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 279 She ‘throws back’ to her savage ancestors. 1911 Galsworthy Patrician ii. i. 176 He and his ideas throw back to the Middle Ages. |
e. intr. To go back in date to, to have a history reaching back to; to hark back, cast back.
| 1892 Sat. Rev. 28 May 635/1 His Metaphysic..begins with Kant, and only ‘throws back’ to Kant's forerunners. 1892 Illustr. Sporting & Dram. News 17 Sept. 39/2 An old hostelry that throws back nobody knows how many centuries..; throwing back three quarters of a century, a hundred men mustered here. |
39. throw by. a. trans. To put aside with decision; to reject from present use; to discard.
| 1611 B. Jonson Catiline i. i, It can but shew Like one of Ivnoes..disguises..: and will..When things succeed, be throwne by, or let fall. 1674 J. Flavel Husb. Spir. ii. 27 My lazy heart throws by the shovel, and cryes, ‘Dig I cannot!’ 1770 Hist. in Ann. Reg. 39 Aly Bey..has thrown by the mask, and..boldly mounted the throne. 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan III. 187, I took another name. I threw by that of my father. |
† b. To dismiss from consideration; to set aside.
| 1710 S. Palmer Proverbs 141 His best actions thrown by and lessen'd by false turns. 1710 Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) III. 36 They are very angry with him, and throw by what he has done as being against the Government. |
40. throw down († adown). a. trans. See simple senses and down adv.
to throw down a horse, (of a rider) to cause or allow it to fall.
| c 1250 Long Life 37 in O.E. Misc. 158 Weilawei deþ þe schal adun þrowe Þer þu wenest heȝest to steo. c 1275 Lay. 12323 Þe cheorles..þa king icnewen and hine adun þreuwe. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 349 A grym strook of liȝtnynge smoot þe cherche tour..and þrew [v.r. þruw] doun þe crucifex,..and þrew doun oure Lady ymage. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia iii. (1598) 361 After her song with an affected modestie, she threw downe her eye. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 371 The Mountains..throw down divers Rivers. 1714 Spect. No. 558 ¶4 Another after a great deal of puffing, threw down his Luggage. 1787 ‘G. Gambado’ Acad. Horsem. (1809) 44 Take care never to throw your horse down, it is an unlucky trick. |
b. Expressing a symbolic action; as to throw down one's arms, to surrender; to throw down one's brief (of a barrister), to decline to go on with a case; so to throw down one's pipe, etc.
to throw down the gauntlet or glove: see these words.
| 1700 S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 58 Most of them threw down their arms. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 49 ¶2 Mr. Beaver has thrown down his Pipe. 1833 Disraeli Cont. Fleming i. i, I throw down the volume in disgust. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xx. IV. 523 Williams threw down his brief. |
c. To cause to fall, to overthrow, demolish (a building, etc.); also fig.
| c 1330 Arth. & Merl. (Kölbing) 9306 Baners & castels adoun y-þrawe. 1340 Ayenb. 23 Þe grete wynd, þet þrauþ doun þe greate tours. c 1425 Eng. Conq. Irel. 18 Thay lay all I-drow a-doune and I-cast to grond. 1528 Sel. Cas. Star Chamb. (Selden) II. 19 That the sayd J.M. shuld throwe downe and avoyde the sayde enclosures from the sayd comon grownde. 1530 Palsgr. 756/2, I throwe downe to the grounde, or distroye a thynge. 1645 Evelyn Diary 8 Feb., The ruines of a very stately Temple or Theatre..throwne downe by an earthquake. 1713 Addison Cato ii. v. 67 Must one rash word..Throw down the merit of my better years? 1766 Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wom. (1767) I. vii. 302 The admiration raised..is often..thrown down. 1838 Thirlwall Greece III. 101 The Athenians..ordered the Potidæans to throw down the walls of their town on the side of the Peninsula of Pallene. |
d. To deposit or cause to be deposited from solution; to precipitate.
| 1812 Sir H. Davy Chem. Philos. 120 Earths, and oxides, are usually thrown down from their solutions in union with water. 1838 T. Thomson Chem. Org. Bodies 188 Alcohol throws it down from its aqueous solution. 1864 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XXV. ii. 566 Water that contains much lime on boiling throws down a white deposit. |
e. Agric. (a) To plough (land) so as to level it down; opposed to gather up (gather v. 16). (b) To convert (arable land) into pasture; to lay down to grass. (Cf. lay v. 51 m.)
| 1844 Stephens Bk. Farm I. 477 The mode of ploughing exactly opposite to twice-gathering-up is that of cleaving or throwing down land. 1891 S. C. Scrivener Our Fields & Cities 143 It is capable of being applied..to almost any land, including that ‘thrown down’ to grass. |
f. fig. To put down with force; to lower in rank or station; to degrade, humiliate; to deject in spirits; also, to destroy the effect of, bring to nought.
| c 1450 tr. De Imitatione iii. xxi. 89, I am sone þrowen doun with litel aduersite. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. vi. 23 God wil haue the pride of man doune thrawin. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 725 Lifting and throwing downe Princes at her pleasure. 1729 G. Adams tr. Sophocl., Antig. v. i. II. 65 Fortune raises up, and throws down, makes one fortunate, and another miserable. |
g. slang. To overcome; to prove too much for; to floor, ‘give a fall’ to.
| 1891 Harry Fludyer 98 (Farmer), I think I shall floor mine [‘exam.’], and Dick's sure to throw his examiners down. |
h. U.S. slang. To discard, throw off.
| Mod. U.S. ‘Is she still engaged?’ ‘Why no, she threw her beau down’. |
i. Cricket. To knock down (a wicket) with a throw-in from the field, with the intention of dismissing the batsman.
| 1860 Baily's Mag. Sept. 429 John Lillywhite..from long leg..threw down the wicket, and Mr. Davidson was thus run out. 1912 P. F. Warner England v. Australia v. 44 Hobbs throwing down Kortlang's wicket from cover-point. 1962 E. W. Swanton in Altham & Swanton Hist. Cricket (new ed.) II. xii. 244 All seemed over when Solomon from 25 yards range and square with the wicket on the leg-side threw down the stumps to run out Davidson. |
41. throw in. a. trans. See simple senses and in.
| 13.. K. Horn 1176 (Harl. MS.) Þe ryng þat þou yn þrewe. 1679 M. Rusden Further Discov. Bees 91 Throwing in a few handsfull of peas. 1730 A. Gordon Maffei's Amphith. 303 The Window above that Stair throws the Light in. 1892 Illustr. Lond. News 21 May 634/3 He was thrown in with men who..had been intimately acquainted with the Zulu people. Mod. Cookery Bk. Throw in a bunch of sweet herbs. |
b. To put in as a supplement or addition; to add, esp. to a bargain. Cf. 30 d.
| 1678 Lady Chaworth in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 45 Lord Shrewsbery is like to marry Mr. Chiffens his daughter, who will be first and last made worth 40,000l. to him, and they talke as if the King should throw in a Dukedome. 1679 A. Behn Feign'd Curtizan iii. i, Cou'd you not..throw in a little Love and Constancy, to inch out that want of Honesty of yours? 1824 Examiner 471/2 Additional dialogue and incident should be..thrown in. 1892 Black & White 22 Oct. 476/1 [The] story turns..on murder and revenge, with a little love thrown in. |
c. To introduce, insert, or interject in the course or process of something; esp. to interpose or contribute (a remark); to put in.
| 1704 Norris Ideal World ii. xii. 509 A further reflection which it may be convenient to throw in to this explanatory account to make it more full and entire. 1739 tr. Algarotti on ‘Newton's Theory’ (1742) I. 7, I threw in, from Time to Time, little Digressions to vary the Conversation. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. II. 85 The old dames..Throw in their hints of man's deluding ways. 1890 Baring-Gould Urith xxxi, ‘Not a grain’, threw in Julian, hotly. 1891 Harper's Mag. Dec. 102/1, I wish to throw in a parenthesis. |
d. In technical uses (often absol.). (a) Fishing. To make a cast (in quot. fig.). (b) Hunting. To start (hounds) upon the scent. (c) Wrestling and Pugilism. To toss one's hat into the ring as a challenge or acceptance; hence fig. to become a candidate, put in for. (d) Football and Cricket. Cf. throw-in n. (throw- 2).
| 1816 W. Lambert Cricketer's Guide (ed. 6) iii. 43 Long Stop. This man..should be one who is not afraid of the Ball,..and who can throw in well. 1823 Mirror No. 14. I. 213/2 When you launch a good thing, which is only heard by the person next you, wait patiently for a pause, and throw in again. 1844 J. T. J. Hewlett Parsons & W. liv, The hounds were thrown in. 1886 Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk., Drow in, to give or accept a challenge in a wrestling or cudgel-playing match. 1887 Shearman Athletics & Football 348 [Association] The halves at the sides too must learn to throw in from touch, for this duty as a rule devolves upon them. 1889 H. Vassall Rugby Game 27 There are endless ways of throwing in, and he must practise. 1892 Field 8 Oct. 553/3 [He] prefers the glory of winning the Cambridgeshire to throwing in for his chance of the {pstlg}5000 to-morrow. 1938 Times 16 Apr. 8/1 Those ‘girls’ at the Oval..threw in from the boundary with an accuracy which would have done credit to a University side. 1976 J. Snow Cricket Rebel 118 My back troubled me from the strain of bowling on the harder Australian wickets for four months and my right shoulder had ‘gone’ when it came to throwing the ball in. |
e. to throw in one's lot with: to enter into association with, so as to share the fortunes of (see lot n. 1 e); so with fortune, interest. Also intr. (chiefly U.S.), to throw in (with).
| 1867 [see lot n. 1 e]. 1870 Rogers Hist. Gleanings Ser. ii. 97 He would have thrown in his lot with the Hydes. 1889 A. V. Carr Marg. Maliphant III. xxx. 27 On which side do you suppose he would throw in his interest? 1890 Eng. Illustr. Mag. Dec. 173 He willingly threw in his fortune with theirs. 1923 Century Mag. Oct. 829/1 Lead me to them humans, and I'll throw in with them. 1954 W. Faulkner Fable 359 When we threw in together that day..he didn't know how long he had been on the road. 1978 J. Carroll Mortal Friends i. ii. 15 The important thing was that Jim Brady's best boy—a strong and not unwise lad—had thrown in for good with his own people. 1981 M. Moorcock Byzantium Endures xi. 262 We should have stayed with the peasants and not thrown in with Russians and Jews. |
† f. intr. At the game of hazard: To throw a number the same as the main (main n.3 1: see note there) or which has a certain correspondence with it (see nick n.1 6); to win at hazard. Obs.
| 1880 Encycl. Brit. XI. 547/1 The player or ‘caster’ calls a ‘main’ (that is, any number from five to nine inclusive). He then throws with two dice. If he ‘throws in’, or ‘nicks’, he wins the sum played for from the banker or ‘setter’... If the caster ‘throws out’ by throwing aces, or deuce ace (called crabs), he loses. |
g. to throw in one's hand: (a) to retire from a card game, esp. poker; (b) fig., to give up a contest or struggle. colloq.
| [1904 R. F. Foster Pract. Poker 49 Players should be careful never to throw their hands into the deadwood until they have seen openers.] 1923 Daily Mail 3 July 8 Our plucky farmers are not ‘throwing in their hands’. 1926 Auction Bridge Mag. July 119/1 People get so tired of throwing in hand after hand that they come in, regardless of their position... It needs great self-control to throw in hand after hand. 1938 G. March-Phillipps Ace High ii. ii. 141 She turned it up and saw the six of Hearts... ‘Bitched again!’ Bobby said, and threw in his hand. 1957 Economist 5 Oct. 59/2 An international understanding outside Egypt is needed before the board can throw in its hand. 1962 D. Francis Dead Cert ii. 20, I threw in my hand. I pushed the four chips across to him. 1973 J. Ashford Double Run ii. 9 Nina Ryan had thrown in her hand without bothering to buy cards. She wasn't really fond of poker. 1978 ‘S. Woods’ Exit Murderer 145 Sykes looked at him for a long moment..and then suddenly threw in his hand. ‘She knew,’ he said positively. |
42. throw off. a. trans. (lit. and fig.) See simple senses and off.
| 1447–8 J. Shillingford Lett. 2 Feb. (Camden) 36 How hit was procured and shortly throwen of. 1647 Hammond Power of Keys iii. 30 He had thus confidently thrown off these Epistles from being written by Ignatius. 1720 Waterland Eight Serm. 115, I was once inclinable to defer the Treating of it some time longer; thinking it most suitable..to throw it off to the last part of what I intend upon this Subject. 1726 Leoni Alberti's Archit. I. 15/1 The Covering..shou'd..incline of one side to throw off the Rain. 1747 Franklin Lett. Wks. 1840 V. 182 To show that points will throw off as well as draw off the electrical fire. 1790 Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. ii. 65 Bil Watson..flayd Galoway, et it set off a Gallop an thraad him off. 1823 J. Badcock Dom. Amusem. 52 A concave glass..will throw the objects off and reduce their size. 1892 Sat. Rev. 7 May 542/1 The pumps..were throwing off 7,000 gallons per minute. |
b. To rid or free oneself by force from, to get rid of, shake off (a yoke, restraint, burden, etc.); to repudiate or reject the authority of; also, to cast off, disown (an associate).
| 1618 Bolton Florus (1636) 131 The first who threw the yoake off, were the Macedonians. 1681 Dryden Span. Friar iii. iii, 'Twould be better yet, Cou'd you provoke him to give you th' occasion, And then to throw him off. 1793 J. Bowles Real Ground Pres. War w. France (ed. 5) 75 Throwing off every restraint of honour and principle. 1822 Examiner 229/2 The Spanish Colonies..have thrown off the yoke of the mother country. 1879 Dowden Southey iii. 64 Unless the disease were thrown off by regular exercise. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 156 An extraordinary power of throwing off fatigue. |
c. To cast off, put off energetically (something put on or assumed, as a garment); to divest oneself of (a quality, character, habit, feeling, etc.); to lay aside quickly or decisively; to discard.
| 1681 Dryden Span. Friar iv. ii, Virtue must be thrown off; 'tis a coarse garment. 1697 J. Lewis Mem. Dk. Glocester (1789) 8 To throw off childish toys, saying he was then a man. 1706 E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 41 He throws off his Gown and Hypocrisy together. 1872 C. E. Maurice S. Langton i. 52 He throws off his chancellorship at once. 1885 Manch. Exam. 28 Sept. 5/3 If he should suddenly throw off his coat in a cold room. 1893 Nat. Observ. 7 Oct. 535/2 Monson threw off the pirate and appeared the king's officer. |
d. To shake off or divert (a pursuer or competitor in a race); = throw out, 44 k; also, to throw off the scent.
| 1695 Blackmore Pr. Arth. i. 354 Reason..stops her pace, Is soon thrown off, and quits th' unequal Chase. 1891 Blackw. Mag. CXLIX. 468/1 He wasn't to be thrown off by a false scent. 1892 Field 2 Apr. 475/1 A check threw hounds off for a minute. 1893 Ibid. 11 Feb. 186/3 The leading hounds are very near him; he cannot throw them off. |
e. Hunting. To free from the leashes, to start (hounds) in the chase; to let fly (a hawk, etc.). Now esp. absol. or intr., of foxhunters or hounds: To begin hunting; hence fig. to make a beginning in anything; to begin.
| 1735 Somerville Chase ii. 123 Where..the rank Mead Affords the wand'ring Hares a rich Repast; Throw off thy ready Pack. 1784 Cowper Wks. (1837) XV. 150 On Friday..we attended an attempt to throw off a balloon at Mr. Throckmorton's. 1825 Scott Betrothed xxiii, Each holding a hawk on his wrist, and anxiously adjusting the mode in which they should throw them off. 1892 Field 7 May 664/2 They threw off the hounds, found an otter, and, after two hours, killed. |
| intr. 1789 Loiterer 14 Feb. 8 No sooner had the hounds thrown off than my horse grew..hot. Ibid. 11 Apr. 5, I have been assured by very experienced Hunters of Tufts, that they never threw off earlier than twelve. 1811 Sporting Mag. XXXVII. 88 They [hounds] throw off generally three times a week. 1818 P. Hawker Diary (1893) I. 162, I threw off in the great woods round Cold Henley. 1866 Gladstone in Morley Life (1903) II. v. ix. §5. 156, I had to throw off in my new capacity. 1892 Field 26 Nov. 808/1 Many packs would not have thrown off at all on such a morning. |
f. To eject, emit, give off, esp. from the body or system; esp. to expel or discharge (waste or morbid products); rarely, to vomit.
| 1737 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1756) I. 235 These Creatures throw off a vast deal from their Lungs in Respiration. 1747 tr. Astruc's Fevers 105 A crisis, or critical depuration of the humours, whereby the peccant matter is thrown off:..just as we see in the small-pox, measles, &c. 1829 Examiner 267/2 When he found anything disagreeing with his stomach, he retired and threw it off. 1846 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VII. ii. 308 Plants decompose carbonic acid, and throw off oxygen. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. VI. 474 Dense volumes of smoke are thrown off. 1864 Gd. Words 102/1 They exude, or throw off from themselves, the spent materials which are excrementitious. 1891 Harper's Mag. Aug. 357/1 From all parts of the living body living gemmules are being thrown off. |
g. To produce and send forth (as offspring or the like); esp. of a hive of bees: to send forth (a swarm). Cf. 23. Also = throw out, 44 d.
| 1828 Examiner 541/2 A swarm of bees thrown off from one of his scapes. 1842 J. Aiton Domest. Econ. (1857) 268 The gray rabbit..generally throws off three, four, five, or six litters..by the first of June. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. IV. 548 A massive pillar..threw off rough branches of stone. 1892 Gd. Words Dec. 816/1 Its territory was small and it threw off many colonies. |
h. To produce with speed and facility (a literary or artistic work or sketch); to execute in a ready and spontaneous manner.
| 1761 Ramsay's Ever-green I. 5 note, That this Way of throwing off a Verse easily was first introduced by him. 1823 J. Badcock Dom. Amusem. p. iv, The new articles..having been ‘thrown off at a heat’, stood particularly in want of re-revision. 1850 Tait's Mag. XVII. 115/2 Those exquisite works which..Chantrey so frequently threw off in marble. 1893 Temple Bar Mag. XCVIII. 518 Having thrown his compositions off at white heat. |
i. Printing. To print off. (Often with mixture of the literal sense.)
| 1803 Scott Let. to Ballantyne 21 Apr., in Lockhart, I have to thank you for the accuracy with which the Minstrelsy is thrown off. Longman and Rees are delighted with the printing. 1873 Spencer Stud. Sociol. vi. 126 Its own immense edition is thrown off in a few hours every morning. |
j. To deduct from the total; to knock off.
| 1821 Examiner 385/2 An abatement of rent, Mr. S! Why..last year I threw you off 200l. 1845 P. Parley's Ann. VI. 299 Perhaps, if you are a good girl, and pay regularly every week, I may throw you off something at the end of the year. |
43. throw on. a. trans. See simple senses and on. b. To put on (apparel) hastily or carelessly: the opposite of throw off, 42 c. c. To put (hounds) on the scent. † d. ? To win (a main) at hazard (obs.); cf. throw in, throw out, 41 f, and 44 m.
| c 1374 Chaucer Compl. Mars 99 He thrwe [v. rr. threw(e, throweth] on his helme of huge wyght. 1801 Sporting Mag. XVIII. 95 He once won 17,000l. at hazard, by throwing on, as it is called, fourteen successive mains. 1815 Ibid. XLV. 253 After the usual law, the hounds were thrown on. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. VI. 421 He throws on his colour at once, with a very evident freedom of pencil. 1873 J. Richards Wood-working Factories 76 Watch persons trying to throw on a belt [upon a pulley]... The one will throw it on instantly. |
44. throw out. (See also out-throw.) a. trans. See simple senses and out; spec. of frost, etc.: to force (young plants) out of the ground.
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. vi. 6 The pitteous mayden..Does throw out thrilling shriekes, and shrieking cryes. 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa ii. 81 His theeues carcase is throwne out to be deuoured of dogs. 1706 E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 100 He..falls to throwing every Thing out at the Window. 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v. Marygold, The flowers of the common marygold..promote sweat, and are good to throw out the small-pox, or any other eruption. 1830 Lyell Princ. Geol. I. 406 [In an earthquake] Cones of sand, six or eight feet in height, were thrown out of the lands near the Runn [of Cutch]. 1840 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. I. iii. 272 The wheat is usually only thrown out in severe frosts. 1847 Ibid. VIII. i. 66 The rolling and treading..prevent the plants being thrown out by alternate frosts and thaws. 1885 J. K. Jerome On the Stage 42 To make your voice ‘carry’, you have to throw it out, instead of letting it crawl out when you open your mouth. |
b. To put out forcibly or suddenly from a place, office, or employment; to eject, expel, turn out.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 18 Whome..god suffreth..vtterly to be throwen out from the kyngdome of glorye. 1710 Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) II. 348 Ld. Rialton..will be thrown out the next Election. 1780 Warner in Jesse Selwyn & Contemp. (1844) IV. 382, I suppose it is not possible to throw Barrow out. 1826 Examiner 387/2 General Palmer has been thrown out for Bath. |
c. transf. and fig. To put forth vigorously from within; to emit, radiate (heat or light); to exude; to produce, be the source of; to send out, put forth (buds, shoots, etc.). Also, to project (the voice), esp. in singing. Cf. sense 15 a above.
| 1750 tr. Leonardus' Mirr. Stones 99 It grows warm, and throws out a heat. 1756 P. Browne Jamaica 236 Where-ever the trunk or larger branches of this tree are wounded, they throw out a thick resinous gum. 1792 H. Newdigate Let. Feb. in A. E. Newdigate-Newdegate Cheverels (1898) ix. 123 Mortellari..is giving her an Artful Manner of throwing out her Voice to be heard in public. 1838 T. Thomson Chem. Org. Bodies 995 Plants, when exposed to the light, absorb carbonic acid, decompose it, and throw out again the greatest part of the oxygen. 1845 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VI. ii. 580 Artichokes..throwing out stems from 7 to 10 feet in length. 1850 Lynch Theoph. Trin. xii. 235 Truth and goodness throw out a vivifying electric agency. 1880 C. R. Markham Peruv. Bark xviii. 210 The plants..had begun to bud and throw out young leaves. |
d. To cause to project, protrude, stretch out, or extend; spec. in Bookbinding, see quot. 1880.
| 1849 Thackeray Pendennis xxii, We'll throw a conservatory out, over the balcony. 1861 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XXII. ii. 352 Both ranges throw out spurs. 1880 J. W. Zaehnsdorf Bookbinding 8 By mounting a map on a guard the size of the page it may be kept laid open on the table beside the book... This is technically called ‘throwing out’ a map. 1890 R. M. Kettle Old Hall ii. ii, The old trees..threw out giant branches. |
e. To bring into prominence or relief, to cause to ‘stand out’.
| 1860 Ruskin Mod. Paint. V. ix. viii. §4. 283 The tone of the whole is dark and gray, throwing out the figures in spots of light. |
f. Mil. To send out (skirmishers, etc.) to a distance from the main body. Also in fig. context.
| 1834–47 J. S. Macaulay Field Fortif. (1851) 265 The infantry will..throw out skirmishers, and..push on to support them. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. V. 373 Mamma throws out skirmishing parties among likely shops. 1863 Ld. Lytton Ring Amasis x, His senses, all on the alert, were throwing out scouts and outposts in every direction. 1893 W. Forbes-Mitchell Remin. Gt. Mutiny 258 We bivouacked on the plain, strong piquets being thrown out. |
g. To give utterance or expression to; now esp. to put forward tentatively, give (a hint or suggestion); also with obj. clause, to suggest.
| 1611 Beaumont & Fl. Maid's Trag. iv. ii, I have thrown out words That would have fetch'd warm blood upon the cheeks Of guilty men. 1633 Earle Microcosm. lxxviii. (Arb.) 103 Not a jest throwne out, but he will make it hitt him. a 1763 W. King Polit. & Lit. Anecd. (1819) 246 Such an infamous appellation, that I scarce believe the most fiery sectarist among us..would dare to throw out. 1793 Trial of Fyshe Palmer 33 He at first threw out that till these were totally abolished we would contend with them. 1824 M. Wilmot Let. 26 May (1935) 214, I only throw out this idea to shew I am ready to act on it. 1869 A. W. Ward tr. Curtius' Hist. Greece II. iii. ii. 392 Athens unhesitatingly accepted the challenge thrown out. 1891 Cornh. Mag. July 106 The hint of danger which Norbury threw out was the one thing needed. |
h. To put forth visibly, display, exhibit; also † refl. to express oneself freely; to ‘launch out’.
| 1710 Pope Lett. (1735) I. 116, I Resume my old Liberty of throwing out myself upon Paper to you. 1763 J. Brown Poetry & Mus. v. 85 His warlike Genius threw itself out, in Subjects that were grand and terrible. 1798 Jane Austen Let. 1 Dec. (1952) 34 He wants my mother to look yellow and to throw out a rash, but she will do neither. 1806 A. Duncan Nelson 32 The signal was thrown out for the..fleet to prepare for action. 1890 Mrs. R. Jocelyn M.F.H.'s Daugh. xvii, Belton's horse also threw out signs of distress. |
i. To dismiss from acceptance, use, or consideration; to reject; to leave out of a reckoning; in {Eacu}carté, to discard, ‘throw away’.
| 1618 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1906) 48 What I found grose I thrue out or cutt. 1660 Milton Free Commw. Wks. (1847) 449/1 To us who have thrown it [monarchy] out, received back again, it cannot but prove pernicious. 1753 J. Collier Art Torment., Fable 233 The letter L..confined the competitors to the lion, the leopard, the lynx, and the lamb. The lamb, by almost general consent, was instantly thrown out, as knowing nothing of the subjects treated of. 1811 Sir Wm. Scott Dodson's Rep. I. 31 Some circumstances stated on behalf of Captain Honeyman, which I may also throw out as immaterial. 1856 Olmsted Slave States 241 They..made further clearings in the forest, and ‘threw out’, to use their own phrase, so much of the land as they had ruined. 1896 Indianapolis Typogr. Jrnl. 16 Nov. 407 When the contract expires, this newspaper will throw out its linotype machines. |
j. Of a legislative assembly or a grand jury: To reject (a bill, etc.).
| 1707 Vulpone 2 This Proposal..occasion'd very great Debates..and was Scandalously Treated and thrown Out. 1732 Hearne Diary 27 Sept., His petition..was thrown out of the house. 1817 Parl. Deb. Ho. Lords, The grand jury..whose duty it was to find the bills had thrown them out. 1873 P. V. Smith Hist. Eng. Inst. ii. v. 175 The Ballot Bill..was thrown out by the Lords. |
k. Sporting. To put out of place or order by leaving behind in a chase or race; to distance, outpace.
| 1713 Addison Cato i. i, A Virtue that has cast me at a Distance, And thrown me out in the Pursuits of Honour. 1807 Sporting Anecd. 179 Jack was mounted on a hunter, which he assured me was never yet thrown out. 1823 Scott Quentin D. ix, I had been unluckily thrown out, and was riding fast, to be in my place. 1889 W. Westall Birch Dene III. xii. 202 More than once he threw them [his pursuers] out by a double. |
l. To disturb (a person) from his self-possession, train of thought, normal or equable state of mind, or ordinary course of action (see out adv. 5); = put out, put v.1 47 f. Also transf., of a plan, calculation, etc.
| 1824 H. Davy Diary July (1836) II. v. 211 My senza cura servant, threw me out by not putting powder enough in my horn. 1844 J. H. Newman Lett. (1891) II. 442 He was surprised and thrown out by finding I did not seem to be what he had fancied. 1891 Murray's Mag. Apr. 551 Seeing her there acting the part of a governess..threw him out. 1891 Field 28 Nov. 837/3 The visitors kicked off, but the heavy ground at first seemed to throw them out. 1892 A. W. Pinero Magistrate i. 24, I took five years from my total... It has thrown everything out. As I am now thirty-one, instead of thirty-six as I ought to be, it stands to reason that I couldn't have been married twenty years ago. |
† m. absol. In the game of hazard, To make a losing cast (see note s.v. main n.3 1). Obs.
| a 1680 Butler Satyr Gaming 80 Although he..crucify his Saviour worse Than those Jew-Troopers that threw out, When they were raffling for his Coat. 1765 Earl of March in Jesse Selwyn & Contemp. (1843) I. 308, I am very sorry to hear that you are still throwing out [note, at hazard] as well as me. |
n. Cricket. Of a fieldsman: To put (the batsman) ‘out’ by throwing the ball so as to hit his wicket. So in Baseball, to put (a base-runner) ‘out’ by throwing the ball to a player on or near a base.
| 1871 Hoppe s.v. Out, ‘Out’ wird der einzelne Schläger..wenn ein andrer der fielders während des crossing den Ball gegen das wicket werfen kann (he is thrown out). 1892 Field 11 June 870/3 Mr. Jackson threw him out from cover-point, when the batsmen were attempting a short run. |
o. intr. (for refl.) † To turn out, throng or press out (obs.); to move outwards from a centre; to strike out with hands or feet; to let oneself go; to push out (as a root). Cf. sense 9.
| 1508 Dunbar Flyting 217 Off Edinburgh, the boyis as beis owt thrawis. 15.. Peblis to the Play v, Thai out threw Out of the townis untald. 1771 Wollaston in Phil. Trans. LXI. 561 The pendulum did not..throw-out so far by about 7{p} as it generally did. 1798 J. T. Duckworth in Naval Chron. (1799) I. 78 The wind throwing out caused me to anchor. 1798 in Spirit Pub. Jrnls. (1799) II. 296 He threw out and kicked a good deal. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas iii. iv. ¶4 The fear of talking absurdly prevents you from throwing out at all. 1825 J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 518 The pallet A can throw out till it reach a,..B will throw out as far on the other side. 1855 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XVI. i. 176 Such soils turn up as a fine mould..and the roots can throw out without impediment. |
p. intr. or absol. Of a printing machine: To fail to register.
45. throw over. a. See simple senses and over.
| 1857 Hughes Tom Brown ii. viii, Jack Raggles is furious, and begins throwing over savagely to the further wicket. |
b. To throw overboard (in fig. sense); to cast off (a lover, associate, or ally); to abandon; to cancel (an appointment) with someone, to put (someone) off.
| 1835 Dickens Let. 5 Nov. (1965) I. 88, I will throw Bell's life over, altogether. 1836 T. Hook G. Gurney II. 186, I was satisfied that Emma had thrown me over. 1874 Stubbs Const. Hist. I. vi. 163 note, Mr. Freeman..throws over the latter part of Palgrave's theory. 1890 T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. fr. 1689 27 They threw over their allies. 1891 O. Wilde Pict. Dorian Gray iii. 62 ‘Are you disengaged Tuesday?’ ‘For you I would throw over anybody, Duchess.’ 1903 G. B. Shaw Man & Superman i. 40 Tavy will kiss; and you will only turn the cheek. And you will throw him over if anybody better turns up. 1908 E. F. Benson Climber x. 146 He had another engagement, and though I urged him not to throw it over when I heard that, he really insisted on coming. |
throw round (Naut.): = throw about, 35 b.
46. throw to. † a. trans. To put quickly with something else which is already there. Obs.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 2939 Anoþire boll was him broȝt, & bathe he deuoydid, And ȝit he threw to þe thrid, & thrast in þare-eftir. |
b. To close (a door, etc.) with force.
| 1741 Richardson Pamela (1824) I. xv. 26, I made shift to get into it [the chamber], and threw-to the door, and it locked after me. 1892 Chamb. Jrnl. 23 July 473/1 The slamming of one of the church doors, as if thrown-to by a draught. |
47. throw together. a. trans. See simple senses and together.
| 1717 Berkeley Let. to Pope Wks. 1871 IV. 82 A wonderful variety of hills, vales, ragged rocks, fruitful plains, and barren mountains, all thrown together in a most romantic confusion. 1878 I. L. Bird Lady's Life Rocky Mountains (1879) iii. 37, I threw a few things together and came here. 1967 E. Short Embroidery & Fabric Collage i. 18 A bundle of threads or fabrics accidentally thrown together may suggest an exciting scheme. |
b. To put together hastily or roughly; to combine or collect without much care or finish. (Said in relation to literary work.)
| 1711 Addison Spect. No. 105 ¶3 On my retiring to my Lodgings, I could not forbear throwing together such Reflections as occurred to me upon that Subject. 1713 Berkeley Guard. No. 88 ¶3, I shall throw together some passages relating to this subject. 1748 Anson's Voy. iii. ii. 308, I shall..throw together the most interesting particulars..in relation to..Tinian. |
c. To bring (persons) casually into contact or association.
| 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. I. viii. 226 The circumstances of their families threw the young people constantly together. 1831 Society I. 207 They were to meet as old friends, when they were next thrown together in London. 1889 Froude Two Chiefs Dunboy xxi. 313 They had been thrown together as children, but had rarely met since. |
d. To prepare (a snack, meal, etc.) hastily or in an improvised manner.
| 1962 ‘E. Ferrars’ Busy Body i. 13 If we haven't eaten she'll throw something together. 1980 P. G. Winslow Counsellor Heart iv. 64 She hadn't been listening much, throwing a quick supper together. |
48. throw up. a. trans. See simple senses and up. † spec. To throw open (a gate, etc.) (obs.).
to throw up the sponge, to give in, surrender: see sponge n., and cf. chuck v.2 2 b.
| 14.. Sir Beues (M.) 1655 + 20 Anon the gates he gan up throwe. c 1422 Hoccleve Jereslaus' Wife 364 Vp he threew an heuy syk. 1675 Brooks Gold. Key Wks. 1867 V. 511 You may throw up your caps at them, and bid them do their worst. 1780 Coxe Russ. Disc. 253 The chain of islands here laid down may..be considered as thrown up by some late volcanos. 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) XVI. 492/2 When the cable is finished, to shorten it two fathoms more, which our workmen call throwing the turn well up. 1833 J. Holland Manuf. Metal II. vii. 189 The fresh coals..will throw up..a body of thick smoke. 1842 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. III. ii. 171 Land..thrown up into very narrow ridges. 1850 Ibid. I. iv. 381 Milk..throws up less cream in glass than in wood. 1861 Temple Bar Mag. III. 221 She hastily threw up the window. 1893 Argosy Aug. 116 The seaweeds thrown up on his estate. |
b. To discharge by vomiting; to vomit. Also intr. (now the usual use). Now chiefly colloq. or slang. Also (slang) to throw up one's accounts, in same sense (cf. cast v. 83 b).
| 1732 Arbuthnot Rules of Diet iii, It is easy to judge of the Cause by the Substances which the Patient throws up. 1763 C. Johnston Reverie I. 135 Before he can be on the guard, hitting him a plump in the bread-basket, that shall make him throw up his accounts. 1793 Morning Chron. 20 Feb. 3/1 In what odd ways we taste misfortune's cup—While France throws down the gauntlet—Pitt throws up. 1822–34 Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) II. 449 Blood from the stomach..thrown up by vomiting. 1887 V. Martin Let. in M. Collis Somerville & Ross (1968) iii. 44 To show that he was quite unembarrassed he began to play with the favourite pug, finally dancing it round on its hind legs. It immediately threw up and that I think ends the story. 1895 Herron & Bacon in A. Dundes Mother Wit (1973) 367/2 He made a tea which acted as an emetic and the patient threw up a variety of reptiles. 1934 T. Wilder Heaven's my Destination 6 He thought he was going to throw up. 1956 [see showbusiness 1 b]. 1970 G. F. Newman Sir, You Bastard i. 24 What if the scene was a man with the front wheel of a bus on his chest? Wasn't the calm, inspiring copper entitled to throw up? 1977 New Yorker 19 Sept. 49/3 I'm not sure anyone else even noticed, but it upset me so much I threw up. 1980 A. E. Fisher Midnight Men viii. 102 Ogy got drunk and threw up in the backyard. |
c. To raise (the hands, eyes, etc.) quickly or suddenly; spec. in throw up your hands, as a command to surrender: cf. hands up (hand n. 55).
| 1746 Francis tr. Hor., Sat. ii. vii. 54, I throw my Nose up to a savoury Steam. 1821 Examiner 524/1 Eternally throwing up their eyes to heaven. 1880 [see bail v.3 2]. 1887 I. R. Lady's Ranche Life Montana 37 He was suddenly aware of a horse galloping rapidly up behind him, and heard a shout: ‘Throw up your hands!’ 1890 Fenn Double Knot III. i. 19 The woman threw up her hands and reeled. 1891 Eng. Illustr. Mag. No. 88. 306 Bail up, throw up your hands now, or I'll shoot every man jack of you. |
d. To cast up (a heap or earthwork) with or as with the spade; to erect or construct hastily.
| 1586 Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) A iij, The gardner, who first throweth vp his earth on a rude heape. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 6 ¶10 The Greeks threw up a great Intrenchment to secure their Navy. 1869 Hughes Alfred the Gt. vi. 71 They..threw up earthworks, and entrenched themselves there. 1880 R. Mackenzie 19th Cent. iii. ii. 287 Armed crowds began to appear, and barricades were thrown up. |
e. To render prominent or distinct; to cause to ‘stand out’; to make noticeable by contrast.
| 1882 Mrs. Oliphant Lit. Hist. Eng. I. 288 A..back⁓ground to throw up and bring into full relief the figure. 1885 Monkhouse in Mag. Art Sept. 474/2 The dado is darker..and throws up the rest effectively. 1891 G. D. Galton La Fenton vi, The black folds of her dress throwing up..the marble pallor of her face. |
f. Naut. to throw (a ship) up in (into, on) the wind, to turn the vessel into the wind till she points almost directly to windward; also absol. said of the navigator.
| 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Donner vent devant, to throw a ship up in the wind, or in stays. 1832 Marryat N. Forster xlvii, The Windsor Castle was thrown up on the wind. 1833 ― P. Simple xvi, We threw up in the wind. |
g. To cease definitely to do, use, or practise; to give up participation in, or the exercise or use of; to relinquish, abandon, quit, give up; originally in the phrase to throw up the game or one's cards, i.e. to place one's cards face upwards on the table on withdrawing from the game. Also absol.
| 1678 Butler Hud. iii. iii. 543 Bad Games are thrown up too soon, Until th' are never to be won. 1681 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. (1693) 1225 To throw up his cards, desistere a lusu. a 1687 Petty Pol. Arith. i. (1691) 33 To throw up their Husbandry, and make no use of their Lands, but for Grass [etc.]. 1731 Gentl. Mag. I. 539 The Evidence for the King being full and clear, the Defendant's Council threw up their Briefs. 1874 T. Hardy Madding Crowd xlvi, He..threw up his cards and forswore his game for that time and always. 1889 Repentance P. Wentworth II. xii. 261 He decided to throw up his practice at the Bar. 1894 Times (weekly ed.) 19 Jan. 49/1 When he was 20 he threw up his employment. |
h. to throw it up against, at, to one (low colloq.): to cast it in one's teeth, to upbraid one (with obj. cl.). Cf. cast up (cast v. 83 i). Also without it, or with personal object: to hold (someone) up as an example, object of reproach, etc.
| 1815 R. Findley Let. 6 Dec. in N. E. Eliason Tarheel Talk (1956) 300 Betsey..throwed up to me that I made a better bed for Sally then her little Betsey. 1870 ‘Mark Twain’ in Galaxy July 139/1 He [sc. Benjamin Franklin] would work all day and then sit up nights..so that all other boys might have to do that also or else have Benjamin Franklin thrown up to them. 1890 Univ. Rev. 15 Oct. 198 The children in the street throws it up against me I ain't got no father. 1957 R. Lawler Summer of Seventeenth Doll i. i. 22 Every time he's away and we have a row, Emma throws him up at me like a dirty dish-cloth. |
i. intr. Of hounds: To lift the head from the ground, the scent having been lost.
| 1832 Q. Rev. XLVII. 237 For heaven's sake, take care of my hounds in case they may throw up in the lane. 1856 ‘Stonehenge’ Brit. Rur. Sports i. vi. v. 128/1 Whenever it happens, and the hounds begin to throw up, and really cannot hunt, it is better to take them away. 1893 Field 4 Feb. 170/2 Hounds suddenly threw up in a most unaccountable manner. |
j. intr. Falconry. See quots. (Cf. 28.)
| 1881 Graphic 5 Nov. 470/3, I [a falcon] stopped my downward course..spread my wings, and ‘threw up’ towards the upper air. 1900 Michell Art Hawking 128 Instead of throwing up high, as they would if they had missed, they check their flight quickly, and..descend rapidly on the panting or dazed foe. 1901 Fisher Remin. Falconer 96 No hawk stooping from a very high pitch can readily clutch or grasp her prey. She rushes upwards (i.e. throws up) impelled by her momentum..turns over, and is on the grouse directly. Ibid. 113. |
k. trans. To produce or provide. colloq.
| 1963 Guardian 23 Sept. 3/5 Their memories of this year's fortnight may last even longer than anything Uncle Ted can throw up from his family joke repertoire on Christmas Day. 1981 M. Moorcock Byzantium Endures xii. 287 Russia was throwing up better women than men at that time. All the worthwhile men had been killed. |
VII. 49. In various proverbial, figurative, idiomatic, or colloquial phrases (beside those mentioned under the senses to which they belong), as throw off one's balance, over the bar, the book at, cold water on, a damp on, dirt, the gauntlet, off one's guard, the helve after the hatchet (so the handle after the head, the rope after the bucket), the house out at (of) the windows, a monkey-wrench into the machinery, overboard, off the scent, into the shade, a spanner in the works, the stocking (at a wedding), down the stream, in one's teeth, one's weight about, to the winds, etc.; as to which see the ns.
For the verb-stem in combination: see throw- in Comb.
▸ to throw down v. a. trans. and intr. Music (orig. U.S.). To perform or play; (also) to rap.
| 1970L. Bangs in Creem Nov. 36/4 Thank God somebody making rock 'n' roll records still has the good sense, understood by our zoot-jive forefathers but few bloated current bands, to know when to just throw down a line and let it lie. 1980 Washington Post 31 Aug. g2/5 ‘We threw down most violently on it,’ Jackson says, meaning that they rapped over the music. 2000 S. Harris et al. What 'Chu Like (song, perf. ‘Da Brat’) in Hip-hop & Rap (2003) 443 No woman can slow dance or throw down like I can. 2004 Global Rhythm Jan. 58/1 Night after night, Letts dug into his crates of Trojan 45s and threw down strictly the most reverb-amped, bass-drenched rude boy reggae. |
b. trans. (orig. U.S.) Of a dancer, snowboarder, or skateboarder: to perform (a move or moves).
| 1984 Washington Post (Nexis) 27 July (Weekend section) 3 The Footloose Cloggers will be throwing down some Southern Appalachian clogging with the Hambone Sweets string band. 1996 Plow Snowboarding Mag. Dec. 48 Elan rides at Steven's Pass... It's just a trademark of a seasoned Gold Bar local to slip through the cracks while throwing down lines that sometimes just shouldn't be done. 2000 D. Werner Skateboarder's Start-up 18 They throw down their best moves and we do a battle of skateboarding talent. |
▪ V. † throw, v.2 Obs.
(θrəʊ)
Forms: 1–2 þrówian, (2 þrouwian), 3 þrowwenn (Orm.), þrowin, þruwen, ðhrow. pa. tense 1–3 þrowode, -ede, -ude.
[OE. þrówian = OHG. druoên (Tatian þruoên), drôên, trôên, trûên:—OTeut. *þrôwjan, f. *þrôw-, ablaut-grade of *þraw- in OE. þrawu painful pressure: see threa v.]
1. trans. To suffer, bear, endure.
| Beowulf 2606 ᵹeseah his mondryhten under here-griman hat þrowian. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxi. §1 Swa swa bearneacen wif acenð bearn & ðrowað micel earfoðu. 971 Blickl. Hom. 93 Feallaþ ofor us.., þæt we ne þurfon þysne eᵹe leng þrowian. c 1000 ælfric Gram. xix. (Z.) 119 Verbum ys word..ᵹetacniende oððe sum ðing to donne oððe sum ðing to þrowiᵹenne. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 229 He wolde for hus deað þrowian. |
2. intr. (or absol.). To suffer, undergo suffering or pain.
| Beowulf 2595 Nearo ðrowode fyre befongen seðe ær folce weold. 971 Blickl. Hom. 65 He wolde þrowian for ealra manna hæle. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 121 His ahȝenes þonkes he þrowede for us and binom ure sunnan. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 101 Ure helende þrowede on þe holi rode. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1140 Hwi walde he þrowin as he dude, & þolien deð on rode? |
Hence † ˈthrowing vbl. n.2 [OE. þrówung], suffering; passion; esp. the Passion of Christ.
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xviii. 136 Ic eom eower efnðeowa & Cristes ðrowunge ᵹewiota. c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 506 On hwæs timan he ðrowunge under⁓hniᵹe. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 87 Nu is his þrowunge and his ariste ure ester tid. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 81 His holie þroweȝunge þe he wolde þolien. c 1200 Ormin 15205 Inntill þrowwinnge & pine. a 1225 Ancr. R. 372 Þuruh to stronge uondunges, soule þrowunge. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1317 Wið-uten long ðhrowing and fiȝt. c 1275 Passion 4 in O.E. Misc. 37 Cristes þruwinge þet he þolede her. |
Here, apparently, belongs
† ˈthrowand, pres. pple. and ppl. a. Sc. Obs., suffering the throes of death, struggling in death-agony.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xv. 230 About him slayne lay his menȝe..And he, redy to dey, throwand. 1513 Douglas æneis iv. xii. 60 Hir sistir An..Fast ruschis throw..the rout, And on the throwand [morientem]..Callis by name. Ibid. 102 Almychty Iuno..Hir maid Iris from the hevin hes send The throwand saull [luctantem animam] to lous. [Cf. a 1547 Surrey æneid iv. 927 From heauen she sent the Goddesse Iris downe, The throwing sprite and jointed limmes to loose.] |
(Since Barbour and Douglas here use throwand and not thrawand, we seem obliged to refer their word, in form at least, to this verb; although difficulty is caused by the lateness of the use, long after the last examples known in English. It is probable that Surrey, in imitating Douglas's rendering, used throwing in the sense of throe v. 2, of which the Sc. form would be thrawand: cf. throw v.1, sense 2 note.)
▪ VI. throw
see thro, throe, through, trow.