What is "threw"

Threw \Threw\ (thr[udd]), imp. of Throw.

Throw \Throw\, v. t. [imp. Threw (thr[udd]); p. p. Thrown (thr[=o]n); p. pr. & vb. n. Throwing.] [OE. [thorn]rowen, [thorn]rawen, to throw, to twist, AS. [thorn]r[=a]wan to twist, to whirl; akin to D. draaijen, G. drehen, OHG. dr[=a]jan, L. terebra an auger, gimlet, Gr. ? to bore, to turn, ? to pierce, ? a hole. Cf. Thread, Trite, Turn, v. t.]

1. To fling, cast, or hurl with a certain whirling motion of the arm, to throw a ball; -- distinguished from to toss, or to bowl.

2. To fling or cast in any manner; to drive to a distance from the hand or from an engine; to propel; to send; as, to throw stones or dust with the hand; a cannon throws a ball; a fire engine throws a stream of water to extinguish flames.

3. To drive by violence; as, a vessel or sailors may be thrown upon a rock.

4. (Mil.) To cause to take a strategic position; as, he threw a detachment of his army across the river.

5. To overturn; to prostrate in wrestling; as, a man throws his antagonist.

6. To cast, as dice; to venture at dice.

   Set less than thou throwest.
   --Shak.

7. To put on hastily; to spread carelessly.

   O'er his fair limbs a flowery vest he threw.
   --Pope.

8. To divest or strip one's self of; to put off.

   There the snake throws her enameled skin.
   --Shak.

9. (Pottery) To form or shape roughly on a throwing engine, or potter's wheel, as earthen vessels.

10. To give forcible utterance to; to cast; to vent.

    I have thrown A brave defiance in King Henry's teeth.
    --Shak.

11. To bring forth; to produce, as young; to bear; -- said especially of rabbits.

12. To twist two or more filaments of, as silk, so as to form one thread; to twist together, as singles, in a direction contrary to the twist of the singles themselves; -- sometimes applied to the whole class of operations by which silk is prepared for the weaver. --Tomlinson. To throw away.

    1. To lose by neglect or folly; to spend in vain; to bestow without a compensation; as, to throw away time; to throw away money.

    2. To reject; as, to throw away a good book, or a good offer. To throw back.

       1. To retort; to cast back, as a reply.

       2. To reject; to refuse.

    3. To reflect, as light. To throw by, to lay aside; to discard; to neglect as useless; as, to throw by a garment. To throw down, to subvert; to overthrow; to destroy; as, to throw down a fence or wall. To throw in.

       1. To inject, as a fluid.

       2. To put in; to deposit with others; to contribute; as, to throw in a few dollars to help make up a fund; to throw in an occasional comment.

       3. To add without enumeration or valuation, as something extra to clinch a bargain. To throw off.

          1. To expel; to free one's self from; as, to throw off a disease.

          2. To reject; to discard; to abandon; as, to throw off all sense of shame; to throw off a dependent.

          3. To make a start in a hunt or race. [Eng.] To throw on, to cast on; to load. To throw one's self down, to lie down neglectively or suddenly. To throw one's self on or To throw one's self upon.

             1. To fall upon.

             2. To resign one's self to the favor, clemency, or sustain power of (another); to repose upon. To throw out.

                1. To cast out; to reject or discard; to expel. ``The other two, whom they had thrown out, they were content should enjoy their exile.''
                   --Swift. ``The bill was thrown out.''
                   --Swift.

                2. To utter; to give utterance to; to speak; as, to throw out insinuation or observation. ``She throws out thrilling shrieks.''
                   --Spenser.

             3. To distance; to leave behind.
                --Addison.

    4. To cause to project; as, to throw out a pier or an abutment.

    5. To give forth; to emit; as, an electric lamp throws out a brilliant light.

    6. To put out; to confuse; as, a sudden question often throws out an orator. To throw over, to abandon the cause of; to desert; to discard; as, to throw over a friend in difficulties. To throw up.

       1. To resign; to give up; to demit; as, to throw up a commission. ``Experienced gamesters throw up their cards when they know that the game is in the enemy's hand.''
          --Addison.

       2. To reject from the stomach; to vomit.

       3. To construct hastily; as, to throw up a breastwork of earth.

past tense of throw (q.v.).

vb. (en-simple past of: throw)

See throw

1. n. the act of throwing (propelling something through the air with a rapid movement of the arm and wrist); "the catcher made a good throw to second base"

2. a single chance or instance; "he couldn't afford $50 a throw"

3. the maximum movement available to a pivoted or reciprocating piece by a cam [syn: stroke, cam stroke]

4. the distance that something can be thrown; "it is just a stone's throw from here"

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

6. the throwing of an object in order to determine an outcome randomly; "he risked his fortune on a throw of the dice"

7. [also: thrown, threw]

1. v. project through the air; "throw a frisbee"

2. move violently, energetically, or carelessly; "She threw herself forwards"

3. get rid of; "he shed his image as a pushy boss"; "shed your clothes" [syn: shed, cast, cast off, shake off, throw off, throw away, drop]

4. place or put with great energy; "She threw the blanket around the child"; "thrust the money in the hands of the beggar" [syn: thrust]

5. convey or communicate; of a smile, a look, a physical gesture; "Throw a glance"; "She gave me a dirty look" [syn: give]

6. cause to go on or to be engaged or set in operation; "switch on the light"; "throw the lever" [syn: flip, switch]

7. put or send forth; "She threw the flashlight beam into the corner"; "The setting sun threw long shadows"; "cast a spell"; "cast a warm light" [syn: project, cast, contrive]

8. to put into a state or activity hastily, suddenly, or carelessly; "Jane threw dinner together"; "throw the car into reverse"

9. cause to be confused emotionally [syn: bewilder, bemuse, discombobulate]

10. utter with force; utter vehemently; "hurl insults"; "throw accusations at someone" [syn: hurl]

11. organize or be responsible for; "hold a reception"; "have, throw, or make a party"; "give a course" [syn: hold, have, make, give]

12. make on a potter's wheel; "she threw a beautiful teapot"

13. cause to fall off; "The horse threw its unexperienced rider"

14. throw (a die) out onto a flat surface; "Throw a six"

15. be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly; "These questions confuse even the experts"; "This question completely threw me"; "This question befuddled even the teacher" [syn: confuse, fox, befuddle, fuddle, bedevil, confound, discombobulate]

16. [also: thrown, threw]