in the throes of (something)

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in the throes of (something)

Suffering from or struggling with something. I'm sorry I never called you back—I've been in the throes of illness for days. They exhibit all the signs of a company in the throes of decline.

in the throes

In the midst of, especially of a difficult struggle. For example, The country was in the throes of economic collapse, or We were in the throes of giving a formal dinner when my in-laws arrived. The noun throe, meaning "a severe pang or spasm of pain," was at first used mainly for such physical events as childbirth or dying. Today it is used both seriously (first example) and more lightly (second example). [Mid-1800s]

in the throes of something

COMMON If you are in the throes of doing or experiencing something, especially something difficult, you are busy doing it or are deeply involved in it. The boy's parents are in the throes of moving house and it seems they completely forgot about the arrangement. The stock market is in the throes of its worst ever crisis.

in the throes of something/doing something

doing a difficult task; experiencing a difficult period or event: The movie’s about a country in the throes of change. ♢ He’s in the throes of divorce at the moment.

See also: of, something, throe

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

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References in classic literature ?

So I was up and out of the town while as yet most of the inhabitants were in the throes of getting up.

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Powerful by nature and rendered still more so in the throes of one of his maniacal fits of fury he was no mean antagonist, even for the mighty ape-man, and to this a distinct advantage for him was added by the fact that almost at the outset of their battle Tarzan, in stepping backward, struck his heel against the corpse of the man whom Smith-Oldwick had killed, and fell heavily backward to the floor with Metak upon his breast.

Gasping as though in the throes of strangulation the fellow pitched forward at Tarzan's feet.

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He would cry for nothing; he would burst into storms of devilish temper without notice, and let go scream after scream and squall after squall, then climax the thing with "holding his breath"-- that frightful specialty of the teething nursling, in the throes of which the creature exhausts its lungs, then is convulsed with noiseless squirmings and twistings and kickings in the effort to get its breath, while the lips turn blue and the mouth stands wide and rigid, offering for inspection one wee tooth set in the lower rim of a hoop of red gums; and when the appalling stillness has endured until one is sure the lost breath will never return, a nurse comes flying, and dashes water in the child's face, and--presto!

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Summary: Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 08 (ANI): With Karnataka in the throes of a political crisis, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy met dissenting Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy on Monday.

Kumaraswamy meets Ramalinga Reddy in Bengaluru

The summer sneaks up and suddenly you're in the throes of panic-cramming all those things you need to finish before the kids break for six very long weeks off school.

Holiday troubles? We've all got them

These stand-ins were presented with original drawings by the abductees, and then documented in the throes of a hypnosis-induced "recollection." Hidden speakers played enigmatic statements (spoken by the abductees?

Tony Oursler: Redling Fine Art

From a tongue-in-cheek allegory of China and Tibet to the playful account of a young Tibetan in the throes of love, Ma Yuan breaks with tradition and helps move Chinese literature into the twenty-first century.

Ma Yuan: Ballad of the Himalayas: Stories of Tibet

It seems like just yesterday that the General Assembly finished the 2009-2010 session and here we are in the throes of the next election campaign season.

Disaster preparation

And Alan Greenspan, former boss of the US Federal Reserve, admitted America is "in the throes of recession".

WE'LL PULL THROUGH; Darling upbeat as US slides into recession

The boy sits beside his self-absorbed mother, a woman who is in the throes of making a life decision which will have extreme--and negative--consequences for the rest of the boy's life.

Squat

That Dench's character is a lesbian in the throes of a powerful crush is something that is slowly revealed over the course of the film--and is, indeed, left out of the press materials altogether.

The evil lesbian: Judi Dench breathes new life into a stereotype we used to hate

The Satellite Airline Terminal, in the throes of seeking a new location, is also being represented by Studley, namely William Montana, managing director.

Studley helps manufacturer land safely on 42nd St

In the early 1930s, when America was deep in the throes of one of the worst economic depressions in this country's history, some American leaders seemed willing to put the idea of representative democracy on hold until the economic disaster had been overcome.

Alter, Jonathan. The defining moment; FDR's hundred days and the triumph of hope