through

¹through

preposition \ˈthrü\

Definition of THROUGH

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 <drove a nail through the board> (2) : by way of <left through the door> (3) —used as a function word to indicate passage from one end or boundary to another <a highway through the forest> <a road through the desert> (4) : without stopping for : past <drove through a red light>

b —used as a function word to indicate passage into and out of a treatment, handling, or process <the matter has already passed through her hands>

2

—used as a function word to indicate means, agency, or intermediacy: as

a : by means of : by the agency of

b : because of <failed through ignorance>

c : by common descent from or relationship with <related through their grandfather>

3

a : over the whole surface or extent of : throughout <homes scattered through the valley>

b —used as a function word to indicate movement within a large expanse <flew through the air>

c —used as a function word to indicate exposure to a specified set of conditions <put him through hell>

4

—used as a function word to indicate a period of time: as

a : during the entire period of <all through her life>

b : from the beginning to the end of <the tower stood through the earthquake>

c : to and including <Monday through Friday>

5

a —used as a function word to indicate completion or exhaustion <got through the book> <went through the money in a year>

b —used as a function word to indicate acceptance or approval especially by an official body <got the bill through the legislature>

Examples of THROUGH

1. He hit the nail through the wood.
2. She looked through the binoculars.
3. The bullet had gone through his hand.
4. He just walked through the door.
5. The security guards pushed their way through the crowd.
6. She could see a figure through the fog.
7. I looked through the window.

Origin of THROUGH

Middle English thurh, thruh, through, from Old English thurh; akin to Old High German durh through, Latin trans across, beyond, Sanskrit tarati he crosses over

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to THROUGH

Synonyms

amid (or amidst), mid, midst, among

Related Words

between, betwixt

Near Antonyms

from, out of

Rhymes with THROUGH

blue, boo, brew, chew, clew, clue, coo, coup, crew, cue, dew, do, doux, due, ewe, few, flu, flue, fou, glue, gnu, goo, hew, hue, Jew, Koo, lieu, loo, mew, moo, moue, mu, new, nu, ooh, pew, phew, pooh, q, queue, roux, rue, screw, shoe, shoo, shrew, Sioux, skew, slew, slough, slue, smew, sou, sous, spew, sprue, stew, strew, sue, Sue, thew, to, too, true, two, u, view, whew, who, woo, xu, yew, you, zoo

²through

adverb \ˈthrü\

Definition of THROUGH

1

: from one end or side to the other

2

a : from beginning to end

b : to completion, conclusion, or accomplishment <see it through>

3

: to the core : completely <soaked through>

4

: into the open : out <break through>

Examples of THROUGH

1. Let these people go through, please.
2. The nail went completely through.
3. It snowed heavily, but we made it through.
4. We'll never get through—the mud is too deep.
5. The package was shipped through to New Orleans.
6. Read the essay through and tell me what you think.

Origin of THROUGH

(see ¹through)

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to THROUGH

Synonyms

around, over, round, throughout

Related Words

clear

³through

adjective \ˈthrü\

Definition of THROUGH

1

a : extending from one surface to another <a through mortise>

b : admitting free or continuous passage : direct <a through road>

2

a (1) : going from point of origin to destination without change or reshipment <a through train> (2) : of or relating to such movement <a through ticket>

b : initiated at and destined for points outside a local zone <through traffic>

3

a : arrived at completion or accomplishment <is through with the job>

b : washed-up, finished

Examples of THROUGH

1. I'm not through yet. I have one more topic to discuss.
2. If you're through using the phone, I'd like to use it next.
3. Is this a through road?
4. The left lane is for through traffic only.
5. When the police were through with him, a taxi took him, his suitcase, the homburg funeral hat, in the other direction … —Annie Proulx, Atlantic, November 1997
6. I tell him I like fanzines. This one's mad, he says, really mad. I can borrow it when he's through. —Lynne Tillman, Motion Sickness, 1991
7. Today though, once experience shows on a woman's face, she's through. —Patricia Volk, New Woman, November 1990

Origin of THROUGH

(see ¹through)

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to THROUGH

Synonyms

completed, concluded, done, down, ended, finished, over, over with, terminated, complete, up

Antonyms

continuing, incomplete, ongoing, uncompleted, undone, unfinished

Related Words

accomplished, achieved, attained, compassed, realized; dead, defunct, extinct, kaput (also kaputt), obsolete; expired