verb
thrash
thrash
verb
1
To beat someone severely, or to defeat an opponent decisively.
"The home team thrashed their rivals five goals to nil."
"His father threatened to thrash him if he skipped school again."
2
To move about wildly and violently.
"The fish thrashed on the deck after being pulled from the water."
3
To subject a computer system to heavy, repeated demands for memory, causing it to slow down badly.
"With too many browser tabs open, the laptop began to thrash and freeze."
How to Use Thrash
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo hit hard, beat decisively in a contest, or flail about wildly.
Common pairings
thrash about
thrash an opponent
thrash in the wind
Word Forms
thrashed past tense, Thrashes plural, thrashes singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “thrash”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The home team _____ their rivals five goals to nil.
Etymology
A variant of "thresh" (to separate grain from stalks by beating), from Old English þrescan.