I. ˈthrü preposition
also thru
Etymology: Middle English thurgh, thruh, thruh, through, from Old English thuruh, thurh; akin to Old High German duruh, durh through, Gothic thairh, Latin trans across, beyond, Sanskrit tiras through, across, tarati he crosses over — more at term
1.
a.
(1) — used as a function word to indicate penetration of or passage within, along, or across an object, substance, or space usually from one side or surface to the opposite one
sawed through the board
put a bullet through his hat
the oars cut through the water
(2) — used as a function word to indicate passage from one side to another of an object by means of an opening or openings
the party encountered the wire, and again crawled through it — P.W.Thompson
walked through the gate
(3) — used as a function word to indicate extension from one end or boundary (as of a place or area) to another
a road through the desert
a path through the woods
b. — used as a function word to indicate passage into and out of some treatment, handling, or process
had probably been through half a dozen men's hands by now — C.S.Forester
c.
(1) — used as a function word to indicate the transmission of light or vision by some opening or medium
must conduct its observations through the restless, dust-filled, and moisture-laden atmosphere — J.G.Vaeth
learned to look at trees through the eyes of a craftsman — W.F.Hambly
looked through the window
looked through the telescope
(2) — used as a function word to indicate movement by way of a specified channel or passage
went out through the kitchen
walk across the platform, wait until a train pulls in, walk through this train to the next platform — A.C.Spectorsky
d. — used as a function word to indicate passage between or among the separate or separable units of something
a broad highway through overhanging palms — Rex Moorfoot
a big “whew” went through the audience — Dart Smith
e.
(1) — used as a function word to indicate passage around or past an obstacle or impeding force
took the shock of the man's shoulder without breaking stride, ran right through him — Irwin Shaw
(2) : without stopping for : in disregard of : past
drove through a red light
went through a stop sign
f. — used as a function word to indicate the change in the quality of certain speech sounds consequent on the opening of the nasal passages
speaks through the nose
g. — used as a function word to indicate the penetration of one sound by a fainter or more distant sound
the radio whined so loud that it was a job to talk through it — Rose Macaulay
2.
a.
(1) : by means of : by the help or agency of
he educated himself through correspondence courses — Current Biography
this idea is somewhat more difficult to present through statistics — N.R.Heiden
(2) : by the intermediary of : in the person of
speaking through the chairman of its committee on economic policy — Collier's Year Book
speaking through an interpreter
(3) — used as a function word to indicate passage by an intermediary or transmission at second hand
a conception of politics derived through books
has gotten his knowledge of the country through the reports of travelers
(4) — used as a function word to indicate descent from or relationship by means of a specified individual or group of individuals
the principle lines … are those through four celebrated stallions — Dennis Craig
are related through their grandfather
b. : by reason of : on the basis of : because of
farmers at first refused to use it through fear that it might poison the soil — American Guide Series: New Jersey
c. : as a result of
now extinct through disease — R.N.Rudmose-Brown
through illness, he lost the use of his feet — Louise P. Kellogg
3.
a. : along the entire expanse of : throughout
landmarks scattered through the pastoral countryside — Budd Schulberg
b. — used as a function word to indicate movement from point to point within a broad expanse or area
felt the earth wheeling through infinity — F.M.Ford
he'd fly through the air with the greatest of ease, this handsome young man on the flying trapeze — George Leybourne
c. — used as a function word to indicate movement within a specified environment or exposure to a specified set of conditions
the drive … was through a radiant summer morning — Lucien Price
didn't you know that she'd try to get it out of me, putting me through hell — Hamilton Basso
4.
a. : during the entire period of
all through the year
through life
— sometimes used postpositively
study the whole summer through
b. : from the first to the last of (as an event, action, process)
remained standing through the earthquake
never rested through the entire campaign
put him through his paces
c. : to and including
estimated to cost $425 million for 1954 through 1957 — Wall Street Journal
d. — used as a function word to indicate extension (as of an action or process) into and to the end of a specified period
has decided to prolong his visit through the weekend
will continue construction through the winter months
5.
a. — used as a function word to indicate completion or exhaustion of something
a rapid reader who has been known to go through three books in a morning — Current Biography
went straight through the brandy and even then had not had enough to drink — Jean Stafford
went through a fortune in one year
b.
(1) — used as a function word to indicate completion of a stage in a process or course of development
passing through nature to eternity — Shakespeare
many things only just through the prototype stage — Bertram Mycock
(2) — used as a function word to indicate a specified quantity, extent, or angle of change or movement
the heat required to raise one pound of water through 1° F. — S.F.Mason
the airplane would roll or pitch very slowly through several degrees of rotation — H.G.Armstrong
c. — used as a function word to indicate achievement of a desired or successful outcome or result of a process, activity, or experience
got through his final examinations
got through the ordeal of his speech
d. — used as a function word to indicate satisfaction or completion of the requirements for acceptance or approval by a group or official body
got his application through the committee
got the bill through the legislature
II. adverb
also thru “
Etymology: Middle English thurgh, thurh, thruh, through, from Old English thuruh, thurh, preposition
1.
a. : from one end or side to the other by passing into the inner part or space
jealousy pierced her through
b. : over the whole distance : all the way to a destination
always buy through to your farthest destination — Richard Joseph
the next train goes through to New York
c. : in diameter
a tree measuring twelve inches through
2.
a. : from beginning to end : along the whole of a planned or required course or process
do you read books through — Samuel Johnson
heard the speech through without interrupting
b. : to the very end : to completion, conclusion, or accomplishment
were determined to see it through at whatever cost — D.W.Brogan
think it through
follow through
3. : to the core : completely , thoroughly — used only following an adjective or participle
the rain is over, but I am soaked through — Ellen Glasgow
returned to the house chilled through by the exposure — H.E.Scudder
wet through
4. : into the open : into perception
when the strong emotion did actually break through — H.A.Overstreet
III. adjective
also thru “
1.
a. : extending or passing from one end or surface to another
a through mortise
through ventilation
b.
(1) : admitting free or continuous passage : not interrupted or obstructed : direct
a through road
a through route
(2) : affording right of way
c. : at a point of issuance from a substance or channel
that rain pepped things up … corn and beans are through — H.R.O'Brien
2.
a. : going from point of origin to destination without change or reshipment and often involving more than one carrier
through train
through trailer
b. : of or relating to such movement
a through rate
a through bill of lading
a through ticket
3.
a. : arrived at completion or accomplishment
the patient receives his treament and then is through except for follow-up — Journal American Medical Association
is almost through with his studies
b. : having no further value, strength, or resources : no longer useful or wanted : done for : finished
nor can you ever be quite sure when a man is through — Elmer Davis
you are through , you're finished, your nerves are shot — Barnaby Conrad
c. : having no further concern : done
he was through with school and he was through with family — John Dos Passos
through with gambling
through with drinking
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: through (III)
1. : perpend 1
2. throughs plural : material that falls through something (as a screen or sieve) ; specifically : the material that passes through a sieve during the process of milling flour
V. ˈthrüḵ noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English thrughe, throgh, through coffin, through stone, from Old English thrūh pipe, trough, coffin; akin to Old Norse thrō trough
chiefly Scotland : through stone I