Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Through?

\Through\, prep. [OE. thurgh, [thorn]urh, [thorn]uruh, [thorn]oruh, AS. [thorn]urh; akin to OS. thurh, thuru, OFries. thruch, D. door, OHG. durh, duruh, G. durch, Goth. [thorn]a['i]rh; cf. Ir. tri, tre, W. trwy. [root]53. Cf. {Nostril}, {Thorough}, {Thrill}.] 1. 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. 2. Between the sides or walls of; within; as, to pass through a door; to go through an avenue. Through the gate of ivory he dismissed His valiant offspring. --Dryden. 3. By means of; by the agency of. Through these hands this science has passed with great applause. --Sir W. Temple. Material things are presented only through their senses. --Cheyne. 4. Over the whole surface or extent of; as, to ride through the country; to look through an account. 5. Among or in the midst of; -- used to denote passage; as, a fish swims through the water; the light glimmers through a thicket. 6. From the beginning to the end of; to the end or conclusion of; as, through life; through the year.
\Through\, adv. 1. From one end or side to the other; as, to pierce a thing through. 2. From beginning to end; as, to read a letter through. 3. To the end; to a conclusion; to the ultimate purpose; as, to carry a project through. Note: Through was formerly used to form compound adjectives where we now use thorough; as, through-bred; through-lighted; through-placed, etc. {To drop through}, to fall through; to come to naught; to fail. {To fall through}. See under {Fall}, v. i.
\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. {Through bolt}, a bolt which passes through all the thickness or layers of that which it fastens, or in which it is fixed. {Through bridge}, a bridge in which the floor is supported by the lower chords of the tissues instead of the upper, so that travel is between the trusses and not over them. Cf. {Deck bridge}, under {Deck}. {Through cold}, a deep-seated cold. [Obs.] --Holland. {Through stone}, a flat gravestone. [Scot.] [Written also {through stane}.] --Sir W. Scott. {Through ticket}, a ticket for the whole journey. {Through train}, a train which goes the whole length of a railway, or of a long route.