throats = to engage in cut-throat (q.v.) competition or conduct ruinous to either; to cut one's own throat (or to cut the throat of) = to ruin oneself, to shipwreck chances or interests; TO HAVE ONE'S THROAT LINED = to be void of taste; to wish for A THROAT A MILE LONG AND A PALATE AT EVERY INCH OF IT (= a modern echo of Rabelais: see quot. 1694). See Bone; Stick.
1637. Humphrey, St Ambrose, Pref. This cuts the throat of that misconceived opinion.
1648. Taylor, Travels . . . to Isle of Wight, 14. And therefore, reader, understand and note, Whoever sayes I lye, he lies in's throat.
1692. Simon Patrick (Bp. of Ely), Answ. Touchstone, 10. This, which cuts the throat of the Roman cause.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, v. xlii. Tell me, noble strangers, are your throats lined, paved, or enamelled . . . that you can have missed the taste, relish, and flavour of this divine liquor? Ibid Oh! that to keep the taste longer, we gentleman topers had but necks some THREE CUBITS LONG OR SO.
1824. Stanhope, Greece, 12. Generals . . . who cut their own throats by word of command.
1867. Froude, Short Studies (2nd ed.), 114. They . . . believed that Elizabeth was cutting her own throat.
1886. St James's Gaz., 12 Ap. Gentlemen who supply, or try to supply, the public with cheap literature seem specially fond of that curious amusement known as CUTTING ONE ANOTHER'S THROATS.
Throttle (or Thropple), verb. (colloquial).—To strangle (Grose).
Through. Colloquialisms range themselves under Through as follows: TO BE THROUGH = (1) to have finished: as of a meal, 'Are you through?'; (2) to be acquitted (old thieves': Grose); (3) to complete a bargain; TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE MILL = to have learned by experience. Also see Alphabet, Thick, Water, and other nouns.
TO GO THROUGH A WOMAN, verb. phr. (venery).—To possess carnally.
Throughshot, adj. (colloquial).—Spendthrift: e.g., A through shot sort of fellow'
Through-stitch, adj. phr. (old). Thorough; complete; 'over Shoes, over Boots' (B. E.); 'to stick at nothing* (Grose): 'a tailor's expression' (Bee). Hence to go through stitch (see quot. 1611).
1611. Cotgrave, Diet. Achever. To atchieve; to end, finish, conclude (fully); to dispatch, effect, performe (throughly); to perfect, consummat, accomplish, GO THROUGH-STITCH WITH.
1630. Taylor, Works [Nares]. The taylers hell, who indeed are accounted the best bread men in the ship, and such as GOE through stitch with what they take in hand.
1631. Chettle, Hoffman. O. Stilt. Mas he saies true son; but what's the remedy? Stilt. None at all father, now wee are in, wee must goe through stitch.
1634. Ford, Perkin Warbeck, ii. 3. He that threads his needle with the sharp eyes of industry shall in time go through-stitch with the new suit of preferment.
1662. Rump Songs. If any taylor have the itch, Your black-smith's water, as black as pitch, Will make his fingers go thorough-stitch. Which nobody can deny.
1690. Pagan Prince [Nares]. For when a man has once undertaken a business, let him go thorow stitch with it.
1759-67. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, iii. 30. His book may properly be considered, not only as a model, but as a thorough-stitched Digest and regular institute of noses.
