throe

throe
noun Etymology: Middle English thrawe, throwe, from Old English thrawu, thrēa threat, pang; akin to Old High German drawa threat Date: 13th century 1. pang, spasm <
death throes
>
<
throes of childbirth
>
2. plural a hard or painful struggle <
the throes of revolutionary social change — M. D. Geismar
>

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Synonyms:
(of extreme pain, especially in childbirth), , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Throe — Throe, n. [OE. [thorn]rowe, [thorn]rawe, AS. [thorn]re[ a] a threatening, oppression, suffering, perhaps influenced by Icel. [thorn]r[=a] a throe, a pang, a longing; cf. AS. [thorn]reowian to suffer.] 1. Extreme pain; violent pang; anguish;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Throe — Throe, v. i. To struggle in extreme pain; to be in agony; to agonize. [1913 Webster] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Throe — Throe, v. t. To put in agony. [R.] Shak. [1913 Webster] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • throe — index outbreak, outburst Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • throe — thrō n PANG, SPASM usu. used in pl. <death throes> <throes of childbirth> * * * (thro) a severe pain or paroxysm …   Medical dictionary

  • throe — c.1200, throwe pain, pang of childbirth, agony of death, possibly from O.E. þrawan twist, turn, writhe (see THROW (Cf. throw)), or altered from O.E. þrea (gen. þrawe) affliction, pang, evil, threat (related to þrowian to suffer ), from P.Gmc.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • throe — *pain, ache, pang, twinge, stitch …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • throe — [thrō] n. [ME throwe, prob. < OE thrawu, pain, affliction, akin to ON thrā, strong yearning < IE * treu (> Gr trauma, a wound) < base * ter , to rub, grind > THROW] a spasm or pang of pain usually used in pl. [the throes of… …   English World dictionary

  • throe — /throh/, n. 1. a violent spasm or pang; paroxysm. 2. a sharp attack of emotion. 3. throes, a. any violent convulsion or struggle: the throes of battle. b. the agony of death. c. the pains of childbirth. [1150 1200; ME throwe, alter. of thrawe ( o …   Universalium

  • throe — noun severe spasm of pain, especially near the moment of death As if their own indignant Earth …   Wiktionary

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