• throe •
Pronunciation: thro • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A spasm of pain, whether physical or psychological
Notes: Today's Good Word is a lexical orphan with no other form but a plural, throes, which is used far more frequently than the singular. In the plural the word is widely used metaphorically, as to be in the throes of finishing a book for the publishers, implying that the process is a painfully difficult one.
In Play: A throe may be physical: "I'm sorry I lost my temper with you, Jerry, but I didn't think it good timing for you to ask me about the insurance card when I was in the throes of childbirth." A throe may be psychological: "Harold has taken the leap from the throes of an unhappy marriage to the even sharper throes of a messy divorce."
Word History: Today's word in Middle English was throwe, a dialectal variant of thrawe from Old English threah "pain, affliction". This word comes from Old English thráwan "to turn, twist", which is why throe does not mean simply pain but a twist or spasm of pain. The sense of "twist" is still used today in the phrase "to throw a pot", meaning to shape a pot from a lump of clay spinning (twisting) on a rotating wheel. In fact, sometimes pieces of clay break away from a pot in progress and are hurled away from the spinning wheel. This sort of occurrence could have led to the shift in meaning of throw from "to twist" to its current meaning, "hurl". (We are grateful today to Dr. Lyn Laboriel for a word that no doubt comes from the throes of her job.)
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What about "in the throes of passion"? Sounds like something that hurts so good. Er, that's a good way to throe one's back out I guess. Seems like an oxymoron to me. Oh, well, I guess I'll quit while I'm ahead...Hee heeI'm surprised how often I see this misspelled as "the throws of death." Makes me want to hurl, I guess.
-gailr
On the other hand one could legitimately throe one's back out under the definition...
"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compaired to what lies inside us." R.W.E.
I hope y'all noted that no one ever has one throe, passion or death? Gailr, That throws reminds me of the common mixup between lest and least. I've even heard people say "Least we forget."
mark
edited to correct a typo, you guys sound like you are reving up for a finger pointing session on typos.
better safe than silly.
mark
edited to correct a typo, you guys sound like you are reving up for a finger pointing session on typos.
better safe than silly.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
kb
Like the framed needlework proudly displayed above someone's desk: "Lest We Never Forget"? (Don't look at it...just...don't...look...)I hope y'all noted that no one ever has one throe, passion or death? Gailr, That throws reminds me of the common mixup between lest and least. I've even heard people say "Least we forget."
Come on Bailey! We'd only point the fingers we use to type with.edited to correct a typo, you guys sound like you are [add v]revving[/add v] up for a finger pointing session on typos.
better safe than silly.
-gailr
ps: I was immeasurably cheered up today to come across "breeches of ethics". (I keep wondering if they clash with the breastplate of righteousness.) Perhaps a thread for just these sorts of gaffes would be entertaining? Is the motion seconded and carried?
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- Great Grand Panjandrum
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Second!. . .
ps: I was immeasurably cheered up today to come across "breeches of ethics". (I keep wondering if they clash with the breastplate of righteousness.) Perhaps a thread for just these sorts of gaffes would be entertaining? Is the motion seconded and carried?
Of course, the forum for gaffes would just have to be called Gaffs. Awl sorts of malaprops would be eligible.
Regards//Larry
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
My favorite was the repeated phrase "It's all just done with smoking mirrors."
Tough to keep a straight face in meetings...
He suffered from a "hianal" hernia...(insert own joke--)
He also suffered from a slipped "dist"...
At hotels he'd call for the "coneseer"...
"Sqwuezed" instead of squeezed...
To continue a thought or to add to something, always in this order..."Also, too, as well..."
Numeratical-repeatedly said it this way.
Alphacabetical--repeatedly said it.
If any of the above were meant in a humorous way (???) there was never an indication. He was very consistent in these, these weren't slips of the toungue..unfortunatley.
This was a man with a doctorate who didn't last long in his post.
More will come to me as I think about it. Yes, there were more. We used to call him Mr. Malaprop...if he had a sense of humor or humility I might have said something to him, or joked with him about it, but, alas and alak, least sense of humor of any boss I've had.
Tough to keep a straight face in meetings...
He suffered from a "hianal" hernia...(insert own joke--)
He also suffered from a slipped "dist"...
At hotels he'd call for the "coneseer"...
"Sqwuezed" instead of squeezed...
To continue a thought or to add to something, always in this order..."Also, too, as well..."
Numeratical-repeatedly said it this way.
Alphacabetical--repeatedly said it.
If any of the above were meant in a humorous way (???) there was never an indication. He was very consistent in these, these weren't slips of the toungue..unfortunatley.
This was a man with a doctorate who didn't last long in his post.
More will come to me as I think about it. Yes, there were more. We used to call him Mr. Malaprop...if he had a sense of humor or humility I might have said something to him, or joked with him about it, but, alas and alak, least sense of humor of any boss I've had.
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- Grand Panjandrum
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I find the biggest problem with a really great Malaprop is that I find myself wondering which is correct? For instance if I hear TheAter often or 'very unique'(not great Malaprops btw) I must stop and say, now which is right, though my inner person knows exactly what's right.
mark
mark
Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
kb
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