American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

threat

hand. see TRIPLE THREAT.

three cheers for

Good for, hurrah for, congratulations to, as in Three cheers for our mayor! Hip, hip, hooray! Why one should shout one's encouragement or approbation three times rather than two or four is unclear. A shouted cheer presumably originated as a nautical practice, if we are to believe Daniel Defoe in Captain Singleton (1720): "We gave them a cheer, as the seamen call it." Three cheers was first recorded in 1751. The term is also used sarcastically, when one is not really offering congratulations, as in So you finally passed; well, three cheers for you.

three-ring circus

A situation of complete confusion, as in It was a three-ring circus, with the baby crying, the dog barking, both telephones ringing, and someone at the front door. This term alludes to a circus where three rings or arenas are featuring performances simultaneously. Perhaps invented by show business impresario P.T. Barnum, the term was extended to other confused situations by about 1900.

three R's

The fundamentals of education, as in It's a terrible school; the children are not even taught the three R's. It is widely believed that Sir William Curtis, an alderman who became Lord Mayor of London, once presented a toast to the three R's??

reading, riting, and rithmeticthereby betraying his illiteracy. In any event, the term was picked up by others and so used from the early 1800s on.

three's a crowd Also, two's company, three's a crowd. A third person spoils the ideal combination of a couple, as in

No, I won't join you?

three's a crowd. This expression, alluding to a third person spoiling the privacy of a pair of lovers, was already a proverb in 1546. For a synonym, see FIFTH WHEEL.

three sheets to the wind Also, three sheets in the wind. Drunk, inebriated, as in After six beers he's three sheets to the wind. This expression is generally thought to refer to the sheet??

that is, a rope or chainthat holds one or both lower corners of a sail. If the sheet is allowed to go slack in the wind, the sail flaps about and the boat is tossed about much as a drunk staggers. Having three sheets loose would presumably make the situation all the worse. Another explanation holds that with two or four sheets to the wind the boat is balanced, whereas with three it is not. [Mid-1800s]

thrill to pieces Also, thrill to death. Give great pleasure, delight, as in I was just thrilled to pieces with our new grandson, or He was thrilled to death when he first saw the Himalayas. Both of these hyperbolic terms use thrill in the sense of "affect with sudden emotion," a usage dating from the late 1500s. Also see TICKLED PINK.

hand. see CROSS ONE'S MIND.

through rose-colored glasses

hand. see SEE THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES.

through the mill

Hardship or rough treatment, as in They put him through the mill, making him work at every one of the machines, or Fane was exhausted; she felt she'd been through the mill. This term alludes to being ground down like grain in a mill. [Late 1800s]

through the motions

hand. see GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS.

through thick and thin

Despite all obstacles or adversities, as in She promised to stand by him through thick and thin. This term alludes to penetrating a forest with both thick and sparse undergrowth. Today it is nearly always used with the idea of supporting something or someone in all circumstances, as in the example. [Late 1300s]

throw

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with THROW, also see CAST (THROW) ONE'S

LOT WITH; CAST (THROW) THE FIRST STONE; HAVE (THROW) A FIT; (THROW) IN ONE'S FACE; KNOCK (THROW) FOR A LOOP; POUR (THROW) COLD WATER ON; SHED (THROW) LIGHT ON; STONE'S THROW.

throw a curve

Surprise or outwit someone, as in They threw me a curve when they said that our department would be combined with yours. This colloquial term comes from baseball, where a pitcher tries to fool the batter by using a curve ball, which is thrown with sufficient spin to make it veer from its expected path. The term was transferred to other kinds of surprise, not necessarily unpleasant, in the mid-1900s.

throw a fit

hand. see HAVE A FIT.

throw a monkey wrench into

Sabotage or frustrate a project or plans, as in The boss threw a monkey wrench into our plans when he

said we'd have to work Saturday. This transfer of industrial sabotage?

that is, throwing a tool inside machinery?

to other subjects dates from the early 1900s.

throw a party

Put on or hold a social gathering, as in They're throwing a party to introduce their nephew to the neighbors, or She threw a party every Saturday night. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]

throw a punch

Deliver a blow with the fist, as in He was furious enough to throw a punch at the other driver. This term originated in boxing but has been extended to less formal fisticuffs as well. [First half of 1900s]

throw away

1. Also, throw or toss out. Dispose of, discard, as in This coat is too good to throw away, or Did you throw out the rest of the milk? or She tossed out all his old letters. [First half of 1500s] 2. Waste, fail to use, as in She's thrown away her inheritance on all kinds of foolish enterprises, or He's thrown away his chances for an engineering job. [Mid-1600s] 3. Also, throw out. Utter or perform in an offhand, seemingly careless way, as in He threw away the news that their summer cottage had been broken into, or She threw out some suggestions for changing the bylaws. [First half of 1900s]

throw back

1. Hinder the progress of, check, as in His illness threw his schooling back a year, or The troops were thrown back by a barrage of fire. [First half of 1800s] 2. Revert to an earlier type or stage, as in That dog throws back to his wolf ancestors. This usage gave rise to the noun throwback, a reversion to a former stage or type. [Second half of 1800s] 3. throw back on. Cause to depend on, make reliant on, as in When the violinist didn't show up, they were thrown back on the pianist.

[Mid-1800s]

throw caution to the winds Also, throw discretion to the winds. Behave or speak very rashly, as in Throwing caution to the winds, he ran after the truck, or I'm afraid she's thrown discretion to the winds and told everyone about the divorce. This expression uses to the winds in the sense of "utterly vanishing" or "out of existence," a usage dating from the mid-1600s. The first recorded use of throw to the winds was in 1885.

throw cold water on

hand. see POUR COLD WATER ON.

throw down the gauntlet

Declare or issue a challenge, as in The senator threw down the gauntlet on the abortion issue. This expression alludes to the medieval practice of a knight throwing down his gauntlet, or metal glove, as a challenge to combat. Its figurative use dates from the second half of the 1700s, as does the less frequently heard take up the gauntlet, for accepting a challenge.

throw dust in someone's eyes

Mislead someone, as in The governor's press aide threw dust in their eyes, talking about a flight at the airport when he was heading for the highway. This metaphoric expression alludes to throwing dust or sand in the air to confuse a pursuing enemy. [Mid-1700s]

throw for a loop

hand. see KNOCK FOR A LOOP.

throw good money after bad

Waste more money in hopes of recouping previous losses, as in Hiring him to improve that software is throwing good money after bad; it's based on an older operating system and will soon be obsolete.

[Late 1800s]

throw in

1. Insert or introduce into the course of something, interject, as in He always threw in a few jokes to lighten the atmosphere. [c. 1700] 2. Add something with no additional charge, as in The salesman said he'd throw in the carpet padding. [Second half of 1600s] 3. throw in with. Enter into association with, as in His friends warned him against throwing in with the notorious street

gang. [Second half of 1800s] Also see CAST ONE'S LOT and the subsequent idioms beginning with THROW IN.

throw in one's hand

Give up, abandon, as in I'm through trying to assemble it; I'm throwing in my hand. This expression comes from card games such as poker, where it is used to retire from the game. Its figurative use dates from the 1920s.

throw in one's lot with

hand. see CAST ONE'S LOT.

throw in someone's face

Confront or upbraid someone with something, as in Dean keeps throwing her poor driving record in her face. [c. 1600]

throw in the sponge Also, throw in the towel. Give up, acknowledge defeat, as in I can't move this rock; I'm throwing in the sponge, or Bill decided to throw in the towel and resign from his job.

This idiom comes from boxing, where formerly a fighter (or his second) conceded defeat by throwing the sponge or towel used to wipe his face into the ring. [c. 1900]

throw light on

hand. see SHED LIGHT ON.

throw off

1. Cast out, rid oneself of, as in He threw off all unpleasant memories and went to the reunion.

[Early 1600s] 2. Give off, emit, as in The garbage was throwing off an awful smell. [First half of

THROW OUT, def. 1. 3. Also, throw or put off the scent. Distract, divert, or mislead, as in A mistaken estimate threw off her calculations, or These clues were designed to throw the detective off the scent. The variant comes from hunting, where the quarry may try to put pursuing hounds off the scent. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1800s. Also see OFF THE TRACK. 4. Perform in a quick, spontaneous, or casual manner, as in He threw off one sketch after another. [Mid-1700s]

throw off balance

hand. see OFF BALANCE.

throw off the track

hand. see OFF THE TRACK.

throw oneself at Also, throw oneself at someone's head. Try to attract someone's interest, attention, or love, as in He always had women throwing themselves at his head. [Late 1700s]

throw oneself into

Enter or engage in a project with enthusiasm, as in Nora threw herself into making the invitations. This idiom uses throw in the sense of "fling impetuously," a usage dating from about 1200.

throw one's hat in the ring Also, toss one's hat in the ring. Announce one's candidacy or enter a contest, as in The governor was slow to throw his hat in the ring in the senatorial race. This term comes from boxing, where throwing a hat in the ring formerly indicated a challenge; today the idiom nearly always refers to political candidacy. [c. 1900]

throw one's weight around

Wield power or authority, especially in a heavyhanded way. For example, One doesn't make oneself popular by throwing one's weight around. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

throw open

Make more accessible, especially suddenly or dramatically, as in His withdrawal threw open the nomination to all comers. [Mid-1800s]

throw out

1. Give off, emit, as in That flashlight throws out a powerful beam. [Mid-1700s] Also see THROW

OFF, def. 2. 2. Reject, as in We threw out her proposal. [Early 1600s] 3. Get rid of, discard; see THROW AWAY, def. 1. 4. Offer a suggestion or plan, as in The nominating committee threw out names for our consideration. [Early 1600s] Also see THROW AWAY, def. 3. 5. Forcibly eject, force

the departure of, as in The bartender threw out the drunk, or He was thrown out of the country club for failing to pay his dues. [Early 1500s] 6. Put out of alignment, as in Lifting that sofa threw out my back.

7. In baseball or cricket, put a player out by throwing the ball. In baseball, the throw is to a base before the batter reaches it; in cricket, the throw must hit the batsman's wicket. [Second half of 1800s]

throw out the baby with the bath water

Discard something valuable along with something not wanted. For example, I know you don't approve of that one item in the bill but we shouldn't throw out the baby with the bath water by voting the bill down. This expression, with its vivid image of a baby being tossed out with a stream of dirty water, is probably translated from a German proverb, Das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten ("Pour the baby out with the bath"). It was first recorded in English in 1853 by Thomas Carlyle, who translated many works from German.

throw over

Reject, abandon, as in They'd lived together for a year when she suddenly threw him over and moved out. This idiom, possibly alluding to throwing something or someone overboard, was first recorded in 1835.

throw someone

Cause someone to be confused or perplexed, disconcert someone, as in We didn't let our worries throw us, or That unfavorable review threw her. [Colloquial; mid-1800s] Also see KNOCK FOR A

LOOP.

throw the book at

Punish or reprimand severely, as in I just knew the professor would throw the book at me for being late with my paper. This expression originally meant "sentence a convicted person to the maximum penalties allowed," the book being the roster of applicable laws. Its figurative use dates from the mid1900s.

throw together

1. Assemble hurriedly, as in I just threw together some salad and took it along. [Early 1700s] 2. Cause to associate, as in Their parents were always throwing the young couple together hoping they would like each other. [Early 1800s]

throw to the wolves Also, throw to the dogs or lions. Send to a terrible fate; sacrifice someone, especially so as to save oneself. For example, Leaving him with hostile reporters was throwing him to the wolves, or If Bob doesn't perform as they expect, they'll throw him to the lions. All three hyperbolic terms allude to the ravenous appetite of these animals, which presumably will devour the victim. The first term comes from Aesop's fable about a nurse who threatens to throw her charge to the wolves if the child does not behave. [First half of 1900s]

throw up

1. Vomit, as in The new drug makes many patients throw up. [First half of 1700s] 2. Abandon, relinquish, as in After the results of the poll came in, she threw up her campaign for the Senate. 3. Construct hurriedly, as in The builder threw up three houses in a matter of a few months. [Late 1500s]

4. throw it up to. Criticize, upbraid, as in Dad was always throwing it up to the boys that they were careless and messy. [Early 1800s]

throw up one's hands

Indicate or express utter hopelessness. For example, Jim was getting nowhere so he threw up his hands and abandoned the argument. This idiom alludes to a traditional gesture for giving up.

throw up to

hand. see THROW UP, def. 5.

thumb

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with THUMB, also see ALL THUMBS; GREEN

THUMB; RULE OF THUMB; STICK OUT (LIKE A SORE THUMB); TWIDDLE ONE'S THUMBS; UNDER SOMEONE'S THUMB.

thumb a ride

hand. see HITCH A RIDE.

thumbnail sketch

A brief outline or cursory description, as in Let me give you a thumbnail sketch of the situation.

This idiom alludes to drawing a picture no larger than a thumbnail. [Mid-1800s]

thumb one's nose

Express scorn or ridicule. For example, I'm sure the members of the school committee thumb their noses at any suggestion we make. This expression alludes to the traditional gesture of contempt, that is, placing the thumb under the nose and wiggling the fingers. [c. 1900]

thumbs up

An expression of approval or hopefulness, as in The town said thumbs up on building the elderly housing project. The antonym thumbs down indicates disapproval or rejection, as in Mother gave us thumbs down on serving beer at our party. Alluding to crowd signals used in Roman amphitheaters, these idioms were first recorded in English about 1600. In ancient times the meaning of the gestures was opposite that of today. Thumbs down indicated approval; thumbs up, rejection. Exactly when the reversal occurred is not known, but the present conventions were established by the early 1900s.

thunder

PUT (TIE) ON THE FEED BAG; WITH ONE ARM TIED BEHIND ONE'S BACK.

tie down

Constrain, confine, or limit, as in As long as the children were small, she was too tied down to look for a job. [Late 1600s]

tied to apron strings

Wholly dependent on or controlled by a woman, especially one's mother or wife. For example, At 25, he was still too tied to her apron strings to get an apartment of his own. This expression, dating from the early 1800s, probably alluded to apronstring tenure, a 17th-century law that allowed a husband to control his wife's and her family's property during her lifetime.

tied up

hand. see TIE UP.

tie in

Connect closely with, coordinate, as in They are trying to tie in the movie promotion with the book it is based on, or His story does not tie in with the facts. [First half of 1900s]

tie into

Attack energetically, as in They tied into the buffet as though they hadn't eaten in months.

[Colloquial;

c. 1900]

tie into knots

Confuse, upset, or bewilder, as in He tied himself into knots when he tried to explain how the engine works. This metaphoric idiom transfers a knotted tangle to mental confusion. [Late 1800s]

tie one on

Become intoxicated; go on a drinking spree. For example, They went out and really tied one on. The precise allusion here??

what it is one ties onis unclear. [Slang; mid-1900s]

tie one's hands

Prevent one from acting, as in I can't help you this time; my hands are tied by the club's rules. This metaphoric term transfers physical bondage to other kinds of constraint. It was first recorded in 1642.

tie the knot

Get married; also, perform a marriage ceremony. For example, So when are you two going to tie the knot? or They asked their friend, who is a judge, to tie the knot. [Early 1700s]