throe

[throh] /θroʊ/
noun
1.
a violent spasm or pang; paroxysm.
2.
a sharp attack of emotion.
3.
throes.
  1. any violent convulsion or struggle:
    the throes of battle.
  2. the agony of death.
  3. the pains of childbirth.
Origin
1150-1200; Middle English throwe, alteration of thrawe (-o- from Old English thrōwian to suffer, be in pain), Old English thrawu; cognate with Old Norse thrā (in līkthrā leprosy)
Can be confused
throe, throw.
Synonyms
3a. upheaval, tumult, chaos, turmoil.
Examples from the web for throe
  • They asked for a resource room where they can distress and get ready for throe court appearances.
British Dictionary definitions for throe

throe

/θrəʊ/
noun
1.
(rare) a pang or pain
Word Origin
Old English thrāwu threat; related to Old High German drawa threat, Old Norse thrā desire, thrauka to endure
Word Origin and History for throe
n.

c.1200, throwe "pain, pang of childbirth, agony of death," possibly from Old English þrawan "twist, turn, writhe" (see throw), or altered from Old English þrea (genitive þrawe) "affliction, pang, evil, threat" (related to þrowian "to suffer"), from Proto-Germanic *thrawo (cf. Middle High German dro "threat," German drohen "to threaten"). Modern spelling first recorded 1610s. Related: Throes.

Idioms and Phrases with throe

throe

see: in the throes