Word Study
through
CIDE DICTIONARY
through, prep. [OE. thurgh, , , , AS. ; akin to OS. thurh, thuru, OFries. thruch, D. door, OHG. durh, duruh, G. durch, Goth. ; cf. Ir. tri, tre, W. trwy. √53. Cf. Nostril, Thorough, Thrill.].
- From end to end of, or from side to side of; from one surface or limit of, to the opposite; into and out of at the opposite, or at another, point; as, to bore through a piece of timber, or through a board; a ball passes through the side of a ship. [1913 Webster]
- Between the sides or walls of; within; as, to pass through a door; to go through an avenue. [1913 Webster]"Through the gate of ivory he dismissed
His valiant offspring." [1913 Webster] - By means of; by the agency of. [1913 Webster]"Through these hands this science has passed with great applause." [1913 Webster]"Material things are presented only through their senses." [1913 Webster]
- Over the whole surface or extent of; as, to ride through the country; to look through an account. [1913 Webster]
- Among or in the midst of; -- used to denote passage; as, a fish swims through the water; the light glimmers through a thicket. [1913 Webster]
- From the beginning to the end of; to the end or conclusion of; as, through life; through the year. [1913 Webster]
through, adv.
- From one end or side to the other; as, to pierce a thing through. [1913 Webster]
- From beginning to end; as, to read a letter through. [1913 Webster]
- To the end; to a conclusion; to the ultimate purpose; as, to carry a project through. [1913 Webster]"
Through was formerly used to form compound adjectives where we now usethorough ; as,through -bred;through -lighted;through -placed, etc." [1913 Webster]
through, a.
Going or extending through; going, extending, or serving from the beginning to the end; thorough; complete; as, a through line; a through ticket; a through train. Also, admitting of passage through; as, a through bridge. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
through, prep., adv., & adj. (also thro', US thru)
--prep.
1 a from end to end or from side to side of. b going in one side or end and out the other of.
2 between or among (swam through the waves).
3 from beginning to end (read through the letter; went through many difficulties).
4 because of; by the agency, means, or fault of (lost it through carelessness).
5 US up to and including (Monday through Friday).
--adv.
1 through a thing; from side to side, end to end, or beginning to end (went through to the garden; would not let us through).
2 having completed (esp. successfully) (are through their exams).
3 so as to be connected by telephone (will put you through).
--attrib.adj.
1 (of a journey, route, etc.) done without a change of line or vehicle etc. or with one ticket.
2 (of traffic) going through a place to its destination.
--prep.
1 a from end to end or from side to side of. b going in one side or end and out the other of.
2 between or among (swam through the waves).
3 from beginning to end (read through the letter; went through many difficulties).
4 because of; by the agency, means, or fault of (lost it through carelessness).
5 US up to and including (Monday through Friday).
--adv.
1 through a thing; from side to side, end to end, or beginning to end (went through to the garden; would not let us through).
2 having completed (esp. successfully) (are through their exams).
3 so as to be connected by telephone (will put you through).
--attrib.adj.
1 (of a journey, route, etc.) done without a change of line or vehicle etc. or with one ticket.
2 (of traffic) going through a place to its destination.
Idiom
be through colloq.
1 (often foll. by with) have finished.
2 (often foll. by with) cease to have dealings.
3 have no further prospects (is through as a politician). no through road = no thoroughfare.
through and through
1 thoroughly, completely.
2 through again and again.
1 (often foll. by with) have finished.
2 (often foll. by with) cease to have dealings.
3 have no further prospects (is through as a politician). no through road = no thoroughfare.
through and through
1 thoroughly, completely.
2 through again and again.
Etymology
OE thurh f. WG
THESAURUS
through
SOL, all bets off, all off, all over, all through, all up, around, at about, at an end, because of, breadthwise, broad side foremost, broadside, broadways, broadwise, by, by dint of, by means of, by use of, by virtue of, by way of, canceled, cleaned up, complete, completed, completely, concluded, dead, decided, defunct, deleted, depthwise, done, done for, done with, down, due to, durante, during, ended, entirely, expunged, extinct, fini, finished, finished up, fully, hereby, herewith, in all respects, in virtue of, including, inclusive of, into, kaput, on, on account of, over, owing to, passing by, passing through, past, pending, per, perfected, perfective, round, round about, set at rest, settled, shot, sideways, sidewise, straight, straightforward, terminated, thanks to, thereby, therewith, thoroughly, through and through, through with, throughout, to, totally, uninterrupted, upon, utterly, via, washed up, whereby, wherewith, wherewithal, wholly, widthways, widthwise, wiped out, with, wound up, wrapped up, zappedROGET THESAURUS
through
Instrumentality
N instrumentality, aid, subservience, subserviency, mediation, intervention, medium, intermedium, vehicle, hand, agency, minister, handmaid, midwife, accoucheur, accoucheuse, obstetrician, gobetween, cat's-paw, stepping-stone, opener, key, master key, passkey, latchkey, open sesame, passport, passe-partout, safe-conduct, password, instrument, expedient, means, instrumental, useful, ministerial, subservient, mediatorial, intermediate, intervening, conducive, through, by, per, whereby, thereby, hereby, by the agency of, by dint of, by virtue of, in virtue of, through the medium of, along with, on the shoulders of, by means of, by the aid of, with the aid of, per fas et nefas, by fair means or foul, somehow, somehow or other, by hook or by crook.Means
N means, resources, wherewithal, ways and means, capital, revenue, stock in trade, provision, a shot in the locker, appliances, means and appliances, conveniences, cards to play, expedients, two strings to one's bow, sheet anchor, aid, medium, instrumental, mechanical, by means of, with, by what means, by all means, by any means, by some means, wherewith, herewith, therewith, wherewithal, how, through, with the aid of, by the aid of, by the agency of.Effect
N effect, consequence, aftergrowth, aftercome, derivative, derivation, result, resultant, resultance, upshot, issue, denouement, end, development, outgrowth, fruit, crop, harvest, product, bud, production, produce, work, handiwork, fabric, performance, creature, creation, offspring, offshoot, firstfruits, firstlings, heredity, telegony, premices premises, owing to, resulting from, derivable from, due to, caused by, dependent upon, derived from, evolved from, derivative, hereditary, telegonous, of course, it follows that, naturally, consequently, as a consequence, in consequence, through, all along of, necessarily, eventually, cela va sans dire, thereby hangs a tale.Direction
N direction, management, managery, government, gubernation, conduct, legislation, regulation, guidance, bossism, legislature, steerage, pilotage, reins, reins of government, helm, rudder, needle, compass, guiding star, load star, lode star, pole star, cynosure, supervision, superintendence, surveillance, oversight, eye of the master, control, charge, board of control, command, premiership, senatorship, director, chair, portfolio, statesmanship, statecraft, kingcraft, queencraft, ministry, ministration, administration, stewardship, proctorship, agency, director, directing, hegemonic, at the helm, at the head of, direction, bearing, course, vector, set, drift, tenor, tendency, incidence, bending, trending, dip, tack, aim, collimation, steering steerage, point of the compass, cardinal points, North East, South, West, N by E, ENE, NE by N, NE, rhumb, azimuth, line of collimation, line, path, road, range, quarter, line of march, alignment, allignment, air line, beeline, straight shoot, directed, directed towards, pointing towards, bound for, aligned, with alligned with, direct, straight, undeviating, unswerving, straightforward, North, Northern, Northerly, towards, on the road, on the high road to, en avant, versus, to, hither, thither, whither, directly, straight as an arrow, forwards as an arrow, point blank, in a bee line to, in a direct line to, as the crow flies, in a straight line to, in a bee line for, in a direct line for, in a straight line for, in a bee line with, in a direct line with, in a straight line with, in a line with, full tilt at, as the crow flies, before the wind, near the wind, close to the wind, against the wind, windwards, in the wind's eye, through, via, by way of, in all directions, in all manner of ways, quaquaversum, from the four winds, the shortest distance between two points is a stra.For further exploring for "through" in Webster Dictionary Online
