The noun is probably derived partly: * from Middle English throu, throwe (“(chiefly in the plural) uterine contraction during the birth of a child; pain experienced while giving birth; suffering; a pain; emotional distress, anxiety”) [and other forms], perhaps from: ** Old English þrawu (rare), a variant of þrēa (“affliction, torment; disaster; oppression; a rebuke; severity; threat”), from Proto-West Germanic *þrau, from Proto-Germanic *þrawō (“longing; suffering”), from Proto-Indo-European *trewh₁-; and ** Old English þrōwian (“to endure, suffer”), from Proto-Germanic *þrōwijaną, probably from *þrawō (see above); and ** Old Norse þrá (“longing, yearning”), from Proto-Germanic *þrawō (see above); and * from Middle English throuen (“to endure distress, suffer; to be ill, to have a fever; to suffer (death, hardship, illness, punishment, etc.); to endure (sadness, hard work, etc.)”) [and other forms], from Old English þrōwian (see above). The current spelling of the word is a 16th-century variant of Middle English throu, throwe, perhaps to avoid confusion with throw (“act of turning or twisting; fit of bad temper or peevishness; look of anger, bad temper, irritation, etc., a grimace”

Rhymes for throe

OE toe foe doe roe Joe hoe woe Zoe moe soe Coe

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Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of throe?

"throe" (noun) means a sudden, intense spasm of pain, like those felt in labour contractions or in the last moments before dying.

What are the different meanings of throe?

"throe" has 3 main meanings: 1. A sudden, intense spasm of pain, like those felt in labour contractions or in the last moments before dying; 2. The pain that comes with giving birth, or the suffering felt when someone is dying; 3. A strong sudden pain or emotion, often a sudden burst of feeling.