/ tʃʌk; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( informal )
1.
( especially BrE ) to throw sth carelessly or without much thought :
[ vn , usually + adv. / prep. ]
He chucked the paper in a drawer.
[ vnn ]
Chuck me the newspaper, would you?
➡ note at throw [also v ]
2.
[ vn ] chuck sth (in / up) to give up or stop doing sth :
You haven't chucked your job!
I'm going to chuck it all in (= give up my job) and go abroad.
3.
[ vn ] ( BrE ) to leave your boyfriend or girlfriend and stop having a relationship with him or her :
Has he chucked her?
4.
[ vn ] ( informal ) to throw sth away :
That's no good—just chuck it.
•
IDIOMS
- chuck sb under the chin
- it's chucking it down
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- chuck sth away | chuck sth out
- chuck sb off (sth) | chuck sb out (of sth)
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a part of a tool such as a drill that can be adjusted to hold sth tightly
—picture at drill
2.
[ sing. ] ( NEngE , informal ) a friendly way of addressing sb :
What's up with you, chuck?
3.
(also ˌchuck ˈsteak ) [ U ] meat from the shoulder of a cow
••
WORD ORIGIN
verb late 17th cent. (as a verb): from chuck, referring to a playful touch under the chin, probably from Old French chuquer , later choquer to knock, bump, of unknown ultimate origin.
noun sense 1 and noun sense 3 late 17th cent., as a variant of chock ; see also chunk .
noun sense 2 late 16th cent.: alteration of chick .