I. preposition Etymology: Middle English thurh, thruh, ~, from Old English thurh; akin to Old High German durh ~, Latin trans across, beyond, Sanskrit tarati he crosses over Date: before 12th century 1. a. (1) — used as a function word to indicate movement into at one side or point and out at another and especially the opposite side of by way of , (3) — used as a function word to indicate passage from one end or boundary to another without stopping for ; past , b. — used as a function word to indicate passage into and out of a treatment, handling, or process 2. — used as a function word to indicate means, agency, or intermediacy: as by means of ; by the agency of, because of , by common descent from or relationship with , 3. over the whole surface or extent of ; ~out , b. — used as a function word to indicate movement within a large expanse c. — used as a function word to indicate exposure to a specified set of conditions
4. — used as a function word to indicate a period of time: as during the entire period of , from the beginning to the end of , to and including , 5. a. — used as a function word to indicate completion or exhaustion b. — used as a function word to indicate acceptance or approval especially by an official body II. adverb Date: before 12th century from one end or side to the other, 2. from beginning to end, to completion, conclusion, or accomplishment , to the core ; completely , into the open ; out , III. adjective Date: 15th century 1. extending from one surface to another , admitting free or continuous passage ; direct , 2. a. going from point of origin to destination without change or reshipment , of or relating to such movement , initiated at and destined for points outside a local zone , 3. arrived at completion or accomplishment , washed-up , finished