Library / English Dictionary

THROW

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: threw    , thrown   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of throwing (propelling something with a rapid movement of the arm and wrist)

Example:

the catcher made a good throw to second base

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("throw" is a kind of...):

actuation; propulsion (the act of propelling)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "throw"):

bowling ((cricket) the act of delivering a cricket ball to the batsman)

fling (the act of flinging)

heave; heaving (throwing something heavy (with great effort))

cast; hurl (a violent throw)

leaner ((horseshoes) the throw of a horseshoe so as to lean against (but not encircle) the stake)

flip; pass; toss ((sports) the act of throwing the ball to another member of your team)

pitch (the action or manner of throwing something)

delivery; pitch ((baseball) the act of throwing a baseball by a pitcher to a batter)

ringer ((horseshoes) the successful throw of a horseshoe or quoit so as to encircle a stake or peg)

shy (a quick throw)

slinging (throwing with a wide motion (as if with a sling))

throw-in ((rugby) an act or instance of throwing a ball in to put it into play)

flip (a sudden, quick movement)

Derivation:

throw (propel through the air)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Casting an object in order to determine an outcome randomly

Example:

he risked his fortune on a throw of the dice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("throw" is a kind of...):

gambling; gaming; play (the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "throw"):

cast; roll (the act of throwing dice)

flip; toss (the act of flipping a coin)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Bedclothes consisting of a lightweight cloth covering (an afghan or bedspread) that is casually thrown over something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("throw" is a kind of...):

bed clothing; bedclothes; bedding (coverings that are used on a bed)

Derivation:

throw (place or put with great energy)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The maximum movement available to a pivoted or reciprocating piece by a cam

Synonyms:

cam stroke; stroke; throw

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("throw" is a kind of...):

motion; movement (a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "throw"):

outstroke (the stroke of an engine piston moving toward the crankshaft)

instroke (the stroke of an engine piston moving away from the crankshaft)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A single chance or instance

Example:

he couldn't afford $50 a throw

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("throw" is a kind of...):

chance; opportunity (a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances)

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly

Example:

This question befuddled even the teacher

Synonyms:

bedevil; befuddle; confound; confuse; discombobulate; fox; fuddle; throw

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Verb group:

confuse; disconcert; flurry; put off (cause to feel embarrassment)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "throw"):

demoralize (confuse or put into disorder)

amaze; baffle; beat; bewilder; dumbfound; flummox; get; gravel; mystify; nonplus; perplex; pose; puzzle; stick; stupefy; vex (be a mystery or bewildering to)

disorient; disorientate (cause to be lost or disoriented)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Convey or communicate; of a smile, a look, a physical gesture

Example:

She gave me a dirty look

Synonyms:

give; throw

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

communicate; intercommunicate (transmit thoughts or feelings)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Utter with force; utter vehemently

Example:

throw accusations at someone

Synonyms:

hurl; throw

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

express; give tongue to; utter; verbalise; verbalize (articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Throw (a die) out onto a flat surface

Example:

Throw a six

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

release; turn (let (something) fall or spill from a container)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "throw"):

shoot (throw dice, as in a crap game)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Place or put with great energy

Example:

thrust the money in the hands of the beggar

Synonyms:

throw; thrust

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "throw"):

pop (put or thrust suddenly and forcefully)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

throw (bedclothes consisting of a lightweight cloth covering (an afghan or bedspread) that is casually thrown over something)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Propel through the air

Example:

throw a frisbee

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

impel; propel (cause to move forward with force)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "throw"):

pass (throw (a ball) to another player)

flick; flip (cause to move with a flick)

juggle (throw, catch, and keep in the air several things simultaneously)

skim; skip; skitter (cause to skip over a surface)

chuck; toss (throw carelessly)

lob (propel in a high arc)

fling (throw with force or recklessness)

jettison (throw as from an airplane)

ridge (throw soil toward (a crop row) from both sides)

deep-six; throw overboard (throw from a boat)

flap down; slam (throw violently)

ground (throw to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage)

prostrate (throw down flat, as on the ground)

cast; hurl; hurtle (throw forcefully)

heave (throw with great effort)

bombard; pelt (cast, hurl, or throw repeatedly with some missile)

defenestrate (throw through or out of the window)

deliver; pitch (throw or hurl from the mound to the batter, as in baseball)

shy (throw quickly)

drive (cause to move rapidly by striking or throwing with force)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

throw (the act of throwing (propelling something with a rapid movement of the arm and wrist))

thrower (someone who projects something (especially by a rapid motion of the arm))

Sense 7

Meaning:

Cause to go on or to be engaged or set in operation

Example:

throw the lever

Synonyms:

flip; switch; throw

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

engage; lock; mesh; operate (keep engaged)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "throw"):

switch on; turn on (cause to operate by flipping a switch)

cut; switch off; turn off; turn out (cause to stop operating by disengaging a switch)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 8

Meaning:

Get rid of

Example:

shed your clothes

Synonyms:

cast; cast off; drop; shake off; shed; throw; throw away; throw off

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "throw"):

exuviate; molt; moult; shed; slough (cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers)

abscise (shed flowers and leaves and fruit following formation of a scar tissue)

exfoliate (cast off in scales, laminae, or splinters)

autotomise; autotomize (cause a body part to undergo autotomy)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Cause to fall off

Example:

The horse threw its inexperienced rider

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

bump; dislodge (remove or force from a position of dwelling previously occupied)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Sense 10

Meaning:

Put or send forth

Example:

cast a warm light

Synonyms:

cast; contrive; project; throw

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

direct; send (cause to go somewhere)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "throw"):

shoot (send forth suddenly, intensely, swiftly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 11

Meaning:

Make on a potter's wheel

Example:

she threw a beautiful teapot

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

forge; form; mold; mould; shape; work (make something, usually for a specific function)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Did he throw his major works over a short period of time?

Derivation:

thrower (a craftsman who shapes pottery on a potter's wheel and bakes them it a kiln)

Sense 12

Meaning:

Organize or be responsible for

Example:

give a course

Synonyms:

give; have; hold; make; throw

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

direct (be in charge of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 13

Meaning:

Cause to be confused emotionally

Synonyms:

bemuse; bewilder; discombobulate; throw

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

discomfit; discompose; disconcert; untune; upset (cause to lose one's composure)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

The bad news will throw him

The good news will throw her

The performance is likely to throw Sue

Sense 14

Meaning:

Move violently, energetically, or carelessly

Example:

She threw herself forwards

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 15

Meaning:

To put into a state or activity hastily, suddenly, or carelessly

Example:

throw the car into reverse

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "throw" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Credits

 Context examples: 

When they were done we threw down some flowers, and saw them scramble for them, kiss their hands to the invisible ladies, and go laughing away, to smoke and drink beer, I suppose.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Our visitor threw up his hands.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Inspector Forrester, sir,” said the butler, throwing open the door.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It is ten to one but you are thrown together again in the course of a few years; and then what a pleasure it will be!

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

I threw the letter on the table, and covered my face with my hands.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

It lists many things about each drug, including the drug name, lot number, expiration date, the amount of drug received, used, returned, or thrown away, and the amount left.

(DAR, NCI Dictionary)

Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center have now identified a new route to throw the switch.

(Giving Brown Fat A Green Light, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

(H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The bone mass benefits from throwing were gradually lost after throwing activities ended.

(Physical Activity Brings Lasting Bone Benefits, NIH, US)

Nausea and vomiting, or throwing up, are not diseases.

(Nausea and Vomiting, NIH)