"throw down" meaning in English

See throw down in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Audio: En-au-throw down.ogg [Australia] Forms: throws down [present, singular, third-person], throwing down [participle, present], threw down [past], thrown down [participle, past]
Etymology: US, popularized 1970s in street culture, from idiom throw down the gauntlet (“to issue a challenge”), used in sense “to fight, to incite a fight, to make a stand” or otherwise get about partying with abandon (first used by Jay Johnson in Detroit in 1978 - taken nationally by Cecil Franklin, manager/brother of Aretha Franklin). Sense of “accomplish something respectable” evolved from sense “to make a stand, to exhibit, to demonstrate (in a challenging way)” inherent in the fighting sense. Sense of “to make a contribution” likely influenced by sense “to make a stand”, as in “are you in?”, “will you stand up and contribute?” Etymology templates: {{m|en|throw down the gauntlet||to issue a challenge}} throw down the gauntlet (“to issue a challenge”) Head templates: {{en-verb|throw<,,threw,thrown> down}} throw down (third-person singular simple present throws down, present participle throwing down, simple past threw down, past participle thrown down)
  1. (transitive) To cause something one is holding to drop, often forcefully. Tags: transitive Categories (topical): Violence Synonyms: cast down, cast aside, throw aside Related terms: throwdown, throw-down, throw down the gauntlet, bring it, throw up
    Sense id: en-throw_down-en-verb-Onhg8~bQ Disambiguation of Violence: 37 4 18 12 16 8 4 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with topic categories using raw markup, English phrasal verbs with particle (down), English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 35 4 14 31 11 3 2 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 35 5 17 21 15 4 3 Disambiguation of English phrasal verbs with particle (down): 37 5 16 20 14 4 4 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 36 3 18 20 16 4 3
  2. (transitive, dated) To destroy or demolish. Tags: dated, transitive
    Sense id: en-throw_down-en-verb-06F8vlU6
  3. (slang, idiomatic, transitive) to produce or perform (something) admirably or forcefully. Tags: idiomatic, slang, transitive
    Sense id: en-throw_down-en-verb-kOvbiCJR Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 35 4 14 31 11 3 2
  4. (slang, idiomatic, intransitive) to fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand. Tags: idiomatic, intransitive, slang
    Sense id: en-throw_down-en-verb-EicSpr-5 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 35 4 14 31 11 3 2
  5. (slang, idiomatic, intransitive, by extension) to accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to "represent". Tags: broadly, idiomatic, intransitive, slang
    Sense id: en-throw_down-en-verb-dUv~WWif Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 35 4 14 31 11 3 2
  6. (slang, idiomatic, intransitive) to make an individual contribution to a group effort (e.g. money pool, collaborative record album) Tags: idiomatic, intransitive, slang
    Sense id: en-throw_down-en-verb-jTa~L~Du
  7. (slang, idiomatic, intransitive) to drink a large amount quickly. Tags: idiomatic, intransitive, slang
    Sense id: en-throw_down-en-verb-Izn1r5mb

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for throw down meaning in English (8.1kB)

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  "etymology_text": "US, popularized 1970s in street culture, from idiom throw down the gauntlet (“to issue a challenge”), used in sense “to fight, to incite a fight, to make a stand” or otherwise get about partying with abandon (first used by Jay Johnson in Detroit in 1978 - taken nationally by Cecil Franklin, manager/brother of Aretha Franklin).\nSense of “accomplish something respectable” evolved from sense “to make a stand, to exhibit, to demonstrate (in a challenging way)” inherent in the fighting sense.\nSense of “to make a contribution” likely influenced by sense “to make a stand”, as in “are you in?”, “will you stand up and contribute?”",
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
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      "examples": [
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          "text": "The soldiers threw down their weapons and surrendered."
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        "To cause something one is holding to drop, often forcefully."
      ],
      "id": "en-throw_down-en-verb-Onhg8~bQ",
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          "drop",
          "drop"
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          "forcefully",
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To cause something one is holding to drop, often forcefully."
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        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0 0 0 0 0",
          "word": "throwdown"
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        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0 0 0 0 0",
          "word": "throw-down"
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        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0 0 0 0 0",
          "word": "bring it"
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        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0 0 0 0 0",
          "word": "throw up"
        }
      ],
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        {
          "word": "cast down"
        },
        {
          "word": "cast aside"
        },
        {
          "word": "throw aside"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "to throw down a tower"
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        "To destroy or demolish."
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      "id": "en-throw_down-en-verb-06F8vlU6",
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          "destroy",
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        [
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        "(transitive, dated) To destroy or demolish."
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          "ref": "2001, Dave Thompson, Funk, back cover",
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        {
          "ref": "2004, Kylie Adams, Ex-Girlfriends, page 48",
          "text": "“Punch up the rhymes. Throw down some beats. Show off that body. You'll be unstoppable.”",
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      ],
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        {
          "ref": "2002, Lory Janelle Dance, Tough Fronts: The Impact of Street Culture on Schooling, page 60",
          "text": "Let's you and me 'throw down' right here, right now!",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, William Bowers, “I Think I'm Going to Hell”, in Da Capo Best Music Writing 2004, page 41",
          "text": "When someone near me at a show called the band My Boring Racket, I was ready to throw down, but for the good sense of an accompanying female...",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, bell hooks, We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity, page 59",
          "text": "Today's young and hip black male who fancies himself a radical, who is ready to throw down for the cause, is not talking about neo-colonialism, about global struggle.",
          "type": "quotation"
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        {
          "ref": "2006, Erick S. Gray, Nasty Girls: An Urban Novel, page 32",
          "text": "She said no words and was the first to throw down. She stepped up to Dee, and pow!",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2006, Sherman D. Manning, Blue-Eyed Blonde, page 345",
          "text": "The time has come. I'm ready to take action. I wanna kick ass and take names later. I wanna throw down, baby boy and baby girl.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
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        "to fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand."
      ],
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        "(slang, idiomatic, intransitive) to fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand."
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1997, Richard C. Green, Soul: Black Power, Politics, and Pleasure, page 93",
          "text": "Yeah, they could literally throw down. When their sound came out, it was earth-shaking.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1998, Sheila Copeland, Chocolate Star, page 260",
          "text": "“You're performing for the who's who of radio and records at the Soul Train Awards tonight and you've got to throw down”.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "to accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to \"represent\"."
      ],
      "id": "en-throw_down-en-verb-dUv~WWif",
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          "represent",
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, idiomatic, intransitive, by extension) to accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to \"represent\"."
      ],
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        {
          "text": "\"We're goin' in on a pizza; you in?\" \"Yeah, I'll throw down.\""
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        "to make an individual contribution to a group effort (e.g. money pool, collaborative record album)"
      ],
      "id": "en-throw_down-en-verb-jTa~L~Du",
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        "(slang, idiomatic, intransitive) to make an individual contribution to a group effort (e.g. money pool, collaborative record album)"
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      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "We need to finish these five pitchers in half an hour, so throw down as fast as you can!"
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        "to drink a large amount quickly."
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        "(slang, idiomatic, intransitive) to drink a large amount quickly."
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      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/En-au-throw_down.ogg",
      "tags": [
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  "word": "throw down"
}
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  "etymology_text": "US, popularized 1970s in street culture, from idiom throw down the gauntlet (“to issue a challenge”), used in sense “to fight, to incite a fight, to make a stand” or otherwise get about partying with abandon (first used by Jay Johnson in Detroit in 1978 - taken nationally by Cecil Franklin, manager/brother of Aretha Franklin).\nSense of “accomplish something respectable” evolved from sense “to make a stand, to exhibit, to demonstrate (in a challenging way)” inherent in the fighting sense.\nSense of “to make a contribution” likely influenced by sense “to make a stand”, as in “are you in?”, “will you stand up and contribute?”",
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      "word": "throw-down"
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      "word": "throw down the gauntlet"
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          "text": "The soldiers threw down their weapons and surrendered."
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        "To cause something one is holding to drop, often forcefully."
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        "(transitive) To cause something one is holding to drop, often forcefully."
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          "word": "throw aside"
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        "To destroy or demolish."
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        "(transitive, dated) To destroy or demolish."
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          "ref": "2004, Kylie Adams, Ex-Girlfriends, page 48",
          "text": "“Punch up the rhymes. Throw down some beats. Show off that body. You'll be unstoppable.”",
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        "(slang, idiomatic, transitive) to produce or perform (something) admirably or forcefully."
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          "ref": "2002, Lory Janelle Dance, Tough Fronts: The Impact of Street Culture on Schooling, page 60",
          "text": "Let's you and me 'throw down' right here, right now!",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, William Bowers, “I Think I'm Going to Hell”, in Da Capo Best Music Writing 2004, page 41",
          "text": "When someone near me at a show called the band My Boring Racket, I was ready to throw down, but for the good sense of an accompanying female...",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, bell hooks, We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity, page 59",
          "text": "Today's young and hip black male who fancies himself a radical, who is ready to throw down for the cause, is not talking about neo-colonialism, about global struggle.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2006, Erick S. Gray, Nasty Girls: An Urban Novel, page 32",
          "text": "She said no words and was the first to throw down. She stepped up to Dee, and pow!",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2006, Sherman D. Manning, Blue-Eyed Blonde, page 345",
          "text": "The time has come. I'm ready to take action. I wanna kick ass and take names later. I wanna throw down, baby boy and baby girl.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
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      "glosses": [
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      ],
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        "(slang, idiomatic, intransitive) to fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand."
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        "idiomatic",
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        "slang"
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1997, Richard C. Green, Soul: Black Power, Politics, and Pleasure, page 93",
          "text": "Yeah, they could literally throw down. When their sound came out, it was earth-shaking.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1998, Sheila Copeland, Chocolate Star, page 260",
          "text": "“You're performing for the who's who of radio and records at the Soul Train Awards tonight and you've got to throw down”.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "to accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to \"represent\"."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "represent",
          "represent"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, idiomatic, intransitive, by extension) to accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to \"represent\"."
      ],
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        "broadly",
        "idiomatic",
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        {
          "text": "\"We're goin' in on a pizza; you in?\" \"Yeah, I'll throw down.\""
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "to make an individual contribution to a group effort (e.g. money pool, collaborative record album)"
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, idiomatic, intransitive) to make an individual contribution to a group effort (e.g. money pool, collaborative record album)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "intransitive",
        "slang"
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    },
    {
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      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "We need to finish these five pitchers in half an hour, so throw down as fast as you can!"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "to drink a large amount quickly."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, idiomatic, intransitive) to drink a large amount quickly."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "intransitive",
        "slang"
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  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/1d/En-au-throw_down.ogg/En-au-throw_down.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/En-au-throw_down.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "throw down"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.