throw

/θroʊ/

/θrəʊ/

Other forms: threw; throwing; throws

When you throw a ball, you toss it using your hand. When you throw a party, you buy some food and drinks, then invite your friends over.

Throw means many things. You can throw a baseball game, even if you're not the pitcher, by deliberately trying to lose it. You can throw a baby off its schedule — that is, confuse the baby's waking and sleeping times. In basketball, when you get fouled and throw the ball from the free-throw line, you're taking a free throw. You can throw garbage out. Also, a throw is a small blanket you toss over a chair, much like a throw pillow.

Definitions of throw

1. verb

   propel through the air
   “throw a frisbee”

   types:

   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 a 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

   deep-six, throw overboard

   throw from a boat

   ridge

   throw soil toward (a crop row) from both sides

   jettison

   throw as from an airplane

   fling

   throw with force or recklessness

   lob

   propel in a high arc

   chuck, toss

   throw carelessly

   skim, skip, skitter

   cause to skip over a surface

   juggle

   throw, catch, and keep in the air several things simultaneously

   flick, flip

   cause to move with a flick

   pass

   throw (a ball) to another player

   lapidate

   throw stones at

   crash, dash

   hurl or thrust violently

   precipitate

   hurl or throw violently

   snowball

   throw snowballs at

   egg

   throw eggs at

   flip, pitch, sky, toss

   throw or toss with a light motion

   catapult, sling

   hurl as if with a sling

   bowl

   hurl a cricket ball from one end of the pitch towards the batsman at the other end

   type of:

   impel, propel

   cause to move forward with force
2. verb

   cause to fall off
   “The horse threw its inexperienced rider”

   type of:

   bump, dislodge

   remove or force from a position of dwelling previously occupied
3. verb

   move violently, energetically, or carelessly
   “She threw herself forwards”

   type of:

   move

   move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion
4. verb

   place or put with great energy
   “She threw the blanket around the child”

   synonyms: thrust

   types:

   pop

   put or thrust suddenly and forcefully

   type of:

   lay, place, pose, position, put, set

   put into a certain place or abstract location
5. verb

   cause to go on or to be engaged or set in operation
   “throw the lever”

   synonyms: flip, switch

   types:

   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

   kill

   cause to cease operating

   type of:

   engage, lock, mesh, operate

   keep engaged
6. noun

   the act of throwing (propelling something with a rapid movement of the arm and wrist)
   “the catcher made a good throw to second base”

   types:

   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

   balk

   an illegal pitching motion while runners are on base

   ball

   a pitch that is not in the strike zone

   beanball, beaner

   a baseball deliberately thrown at the batter's head

   change-of-pace, change-of-pace ball, change-up, off-speed pitch

   a baseball thrown with little velocity when the batter is expecting a fastball

   bender, breaking ball, curve, curve ball

   a pitch of a baseball that is thrown with spin so that its path curves as it approaches the batter

   duster

   a pitch thrown deliberately close to the batter

   bullet, fastball, heater, hummer, smoke

   (baseball) a pitch thrown with maximum velocity

   knuckleball, knuckler

   a baseball pitch thrown with little speed or spin

   overhand pitch

   a baseball pitch in which the hand moves above the shoulder

   passed ball

   a pitch that the catcher should have caught but did not; allows a base runner to advance a base

   screwball

   a pitch with reverse spin that curves toward the side of the plate from which it was thrown

   sinker

   a pitch that curves downward rapidly as it approaches the plate

   spitball, spitter

   an illegal pitch in which a foreign substance (spit or Vaseline) is applied to the ball by the pitcher before he throws it

   strike

   (baseball) a pitch that the batter swings at and misses, or that the batter hits into foul territory, or that the batter does not swing at but the umpire judges to be in the area over home plate and between the batter's knees and shoulders

   submarine ball, submarine pitch

   a pitch thrown sidearm instead of overhead

   wild pitch

   an errant pitch that the catcher cannot be expected to catch and that allows a base runner to advance a base

   centering, hike, snap

   (American football) putting the ball in play by passing it (between the legs) to a back

   Chinaman

   a ball bowled by a left-handed bowler to a right-handed batsman that spins from off to leg

   bosie, bosie ball, googly, wrong 'un

   a cricket ball bowled as if to break one way that actually breaks in the opposite way

   no ball

   unlawfully delivered ball in cricket

   type of:

   actuation, propulsion

   the act of propelling
7. noun

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

   bed clothing, bedclothes, bedding

   coverings that are used on a bed
8. noun

   the maximum movement available to a pivoted or reciprocating piece by a cam
   synonyms: cam stroke, stroke

   types:

   instroke

   the stroke of an engine piston moving away from the crankshaft

   outstroke

   the stroke of an engine piston moving toward the crankshaft

   type of:

   motion, movement

   a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something
9. verb

   throw (a die) out onto a flat surface
   “Throw a six”

   types:

   shoot

   throw dice, as in a crap game

   type of:

   release, turn

   let (something) fall or spill from a container
10. noun

    casting an object in order to determine an outcome randomly
    “he risked his fortune on a throw of the dice”

    types:

    cast, roll

    the act of throwing dice

    flip, toss

    the act of flipping a coin

    natural

    (craps) a first roll of 7 or 11 that immediately wins the stake

    type 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)
11. noun

    a single chance or instance
    “he couldn't afford $50 a throw”

    type of:

    chance, opportunity

    a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
12. verb

    to put into a state or activity hastily, suddenly, or carelessly
    “Jane threw dinner together”

    “throw the car into reverse”

    type of:

    lay, place, pose, position, put, set

    put into a certain place or abstract location
13. verb

    be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly
    “This question completely threw me”

    synonyms: bedevil, befuddle, confound, confuse, discombobulate, fox, fuddle

    confuse, disconcert, flurry, put off

    cause to feel embarrassment

    types:

    demoralise, demoralize

    confuse or put into disorder

    amaze, baffle, beat, bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, get, gravel, mystify, nonplus, perplex, pose, puzzle, stick, stupefy, vex

    be puzzling or bewildering to

    disorient, disorientate

    cause to be lost or disoriented

    mix up, stump

    cause to be perplexed or confounded

    riddle

    set a difficult problem or riddle

    elude, escape

    be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by

    type of:

    be

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

    cause to be confused emotionally
    synonyms: bemuse, bewilder, discombobulate

    type of:

    discomfit, discompose, disconcert, rattle, untune, upset

    cause to lose one's composure
15. verb

    put or send forth
    “She threw the flashlight beam into the corner”

    “The setting sun threw long shadows”

    synonyms: cast, contrive, project

    types:

    shoot

    send forth suddenly, intensely, swiftly

    type of:

    direct, send

    cause to go somewhere
16. verb

    convey or communicate; of a smile, a look, a physical gesture
    “Throw a glance”

    synonyms: give

    type of:

    communicate, intercommunicate

    transmit thoughts or feelings
17. verb

    utter with force; utter vehemently
    “throw accusations at someone”

    synonyms: hurl

    type of:

    express, give tongue to, utter, verbalise, verbalize

    articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
18. verb

    organize or be responsible for
    synonyms: give, have, hold, make

    type of:

    direct

    be in charge of
19. verb

    make on a potter's wheel
    “she threw a beautiful teapot”

    type of:

    forge, form, mold, mould, shape, work

    make something, usually for a specific function
20. verb

    get rid of
    synonyms: cast, cast off, drop, shake off, shed, throw away, throw off

    types:

    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

    desquamate, peel off

    peel off in scales

    type of:

    remove, take, take away, withdraw

    remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract