From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthrowthrow1 /θrəʊ $ θroʊ/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense threw /θruː/, past participle thrown /θrəʊn $ θroʊn/) 1 throw a ball/stone etc [intransitive, transitive]THROW to make an object such as a ball move quickly through the air by pushing your hand forward quickly and letting the object gothrow something to somebody He threw his shirt to someone in the crowd.throw something at somebody/something Someone threw a stone at the car. a crowd of boys throwing snowballs at each otherthrow somebody something Throw me that towel, would you. ► You throw something to someone when you want them to catch it. You throw something at someone when you want to hit them.2 put something carelessly [transitive always + adverb/preposition]CARELESS to put something somewhere quickly and carelessly He threw a handful of money onto the table. Don’t just throw your clothes on the floor – pick them up!3 push roughly/violently [transitive always + adverb/preposition]PUSH to push someone or something roughly and violently The bus stopped suddenly and we were all thrown forwards. The guards threw Biko to the ground and started kicking him. The bomb exploded, throwing bricks and debris into the air. She drew the curtains and threw open the windows.4 make somebody fall [transitive] a) DSOto make your opponent fall to the ground in a sport in which you fight b) FALLif a horse throws its rider, it makes them fall onto the ground5 move hands/head etc [transitive always + adverb/preposition]MOVE/CHANGE POSITION to suddenly and quickly move your hands, arms, head etc into a new position I threw my arms around her and kissed her. He threw his head back and laughed. 6 confuse somebody [transitive]CONFUSED to make someone feel very confused It threw me completely when she said she was coming to stay with us.7 → throw yourself at/on/into/down etc8 → throw somebody in/into prison/jail9 → throw somebody out of work/office etc10 → throw somebody/something into confusion/chaos/disarray etc11 → throw doubt on something12 → throw suspicion on somebody13 → throw somebody a look/glance/smile etc14 → throw a fit/tantrum15 → throw a question/remark etc (at somebody)16 → throw something open17 → throw a switch/handle/lever18 → throw a party19 → throw money at something20 → be thrown back on something21 → throw yourself into something22 → throw your weight around23 → throw your weight behind somebody/something24 → throw light on something25 → throw a light/shadow26 → throw the book at somebody27 → throw something (back) in somebody’s face28 → throw up your hands (in horror/dismay etc)29 → throw in your hand30 → throw yourself at somebody31 → throw a punch32 → throw a match/game/fight33 → throw dice/a six/a four etc34 → throw a pot35 → throw your voice36 → throw caution to the wind(s)37 → throw the baby out with the bath water38 → throw shapes → throw in/cast your lot with somebody at lot2(8)THESAURUSthrow to make something such as a ball or stone move quickly through the air using your handI threw the ball back to him.Protestors began throwing stones at the police.I just threw the letter in the bin.toss (also chuck) informal to throw something, especially in a careless way without using much effortShe tossed her coat onto the bed.Can you chuck me the remote control?hurl to throw something with a lot of forceSomeone hurled a brick through his window.fling to angrily throw something somewhere with a lot of force, or to carelessly throw something somewhere because you have very little timeHe flung her keys into the river.I flung a few things into a suitcase.heave /hiːv/ to throw something heavy using a lot of effortThey heaved the log into the river.lob to throw something high into the air over someone or somethingThe police lobbed tear gas canisters over the heads of the demonstrators.to throw a ball in a sportpass to throw the ball to another member of your teamHe passed the ball to Wilkinson, who kicked the ball over the goalposts. pitch to throw the ball to the batter in a game of baseballStoddard pitched for the Chicago White Sox.bowl to throw the ball towards the person who is batting in a game of cricketHarmison bowled superbly and took 5 wickets. → throw something ↔ away → throw something ↔ in → throw somebody/something ↔ off → throw something ↔ on → throw somebody/something ↔ out → throw somebody ↔ over → throw somebody/something ↔ together → throw up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
throw• Organisers denied reports that punches were thrown.• They would go to a hospital where they would throw a dice.• A citizen assigned to jury duty is jailed for throwing a temper tantrum before a judge.• A small plane was lifted up and thrown across the tarmac by a freak gust of wind.• The boys were throwing and catching a frisbee on the beach.• The blast from the explosion threw debris high up into the air.• The La Scala crowd cheered and threw flowers to the 57 year old tenor.• This threw George, and he got his lines wrong.• Rick was Kitty's boyfriend, you know, and his death threw her for a loop.• Carrie threw him a box of matches.• Elmer throws him a hand of hay and pours a scoop of sweet feed into his trough.• Corbett crumpled the parchment into a ball and threw it angrily at the wall.• Cromartie ran after the ball and threw it back to the pitcher in one smooth movement.• I could answer most of the questions but the last one really threw me.• I was cycling home when I got hit by a car and thrown off my bike.• She's only three, and she can throw pretty accurately.• A couple of kids started throwing stones at my window.• John stood on the beach, throwing stones into the waves.• Joe Jackson was one of eight Chicago White Sox accused of throwing the 1919 World Series.• He threw the ball so hard it went over their heads.• Julie threw the basketball straight into the net.• She was so angry that she threw the pan straight at my head.throw somebody something• Could you throw me an apple?threw open• Sullivan threw open the appointment book and checked the date.• Suddenly the tall man threw open the back door and ran down the street.• He threw open the door and came in.• McAlister threw open the door and ran for the hospital entrance.• I threw open the front door and looked into the street.• Swords and dirks drawn, they ran up, threw open the great door, and flung themselves within.• He threw open the round vent, and the white light passed through him.• A few of the women threw open their shirts.threw ... completely• Then, having lost Mushtaq, he threw caution completely to the wind and spooned to cover.throwthrow2 ●●○ noun [countable] 1 THROWan action in which someone throws something That was a great throw! a throw of over 80 metres2 DSan action in which someone rolls a dice in a game It’s your throw.3 a large piece of cloth that you put loosely over a chair to cover it and make it look attractive a brightly-coloured cotton throwExamples from the Corpus
throw• Lundgren won the discus competition with a throw of 130 yards.• The drama continued throughout the evening as the contest got under way, with fortunes changing with every throw of the darts.• They missed 10 of 26 free throws and turned the ball over 16 times.• A mad scramble followed a Dollar free throw, and Hamilton eventually grabbed the ball on the right wing.• On the ensuing inbounds pass, Bobby Edwards fouled Bailey, who made one of two free throws.• That was a very long throw -- at least 80 yards.• Martinez made a nice throw to third base for the last out.• A saving throw of 6 is permitted to take account of the Squig.From Longman Business Dictionarythrowthrow /θrəʊθroʊ/ verb (past tense threw /θruː/, past participle thrown /θrəʊnθroʊn/) [transitive]1throw money at to try to solve a problem by spending a lot of money, without really thinking about the problemThere is no point throwing money at the pollution problem.2throw money away (also throw good money after bad British English), throw money down the drain British English, throw money down a rat hole American English to waste money by spending it on something that has already failedAs the project devoured more than £4 million, we began to wonder if we were throwing money down the drain. → throw something → out→ See Verb tableOrigin throw1 Old English thrawan “to cause to twist or turn” 