throws

1. 1
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present indicative of throw.

   He throws his coat over the chair the moment he gets home.

   The machine throws sparks whenever the blade hits metal.

   Note

   The -s form agrees with a singular subject: he throws, the machine throws, while I, you, we and they throw. Every sense of the verb takes it, including the specialist ones. A potter throws a pot on the wheel, a bowler who straightens the arm throws the ball, and in programming a method throws an error to the exception handler.

   If the file is missing, the method throws an exception.

   She throws a tall vase on the wheel in under ten minutes.

2. 2
   noun

   Plural of throw.

   His longest throws reached the far end of the field.

   Several wild throws sailed past the catcher during warmups.

   Note

   One spelling, two words: the plural noun here, and the present-tense verb in he throws. The words around it tell them apart. A number or determiner in front (two throws, his longest throws) marks the noun. The plural counts whatever throw counts: separate tosses, a wrestler's moves that bring an opponent down, or the distances things travel when thrown.

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