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Definition of chuck verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

chuck

verb
 
/tʃʌk/
 
/tʃʌk/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they chuck
 
/tʃʌk/
 
/tʃʌk/
he / she / it chucks
 
/tʃʌks/
 
/tʃʌks/
past simple chucked
 
/tʃʌkt/
 
/tʃʌkt/
past participle chucked
 
/tʃʌkt/
 
/tʃʌkt/
-ing form chucking
 
/ˈtʃʌkɪŋ/
 
/ˈtʃʌkɪŋ/
Idioms Phrasal Verbs
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  1. (especially British English, informal) to throw something carelessly or without much thought
    • chuck something (+ adv./prep.) He chucked the paper in a drawer.
    • chuck somebody something Chuck me my bag, would you?
    Synonyms throwthrowtoss hurl fling chuck lob bowl pitchThese words all mean to send something from your hand through the air.throw to send something from your hand or hands through the air:
    • Some kids were throwing stones at the window.
    • She threw the ball and he caught it.
    toss to throw something lightly or carelessly:
    • She tossed her jacket onto the bed.
    hurl to throw something violently in a particular direction:
    • Rioters hurled a brick through the car’s windscreen.
    fling to throw somebody/​something somewhere with a lot of force, especially because you are angry or in a hurry:
    • She flung the letter down onto the table.
    chuck (especially British English, informal) to throw something carelessly:
    • I chucked him the keys.
    lob (informal) to throw something so that it goes high through the air:
    • They were lobbing stones over the wall.
    bowl (in cricket) to throw the ball to the batterpitch (in baseball) to throw the ball to the batter
    Patterns
    • to throw/​toss/​hurl/​fling/​chuck/​lob/​bowl/​pitch something at/​to somebody/​something
    • to throw/​toss/​fling/​chuck something aside/​away
    • to throw/​toss/​hurl/​fling/​chuck/​lob/​bowl/​pitch a ball
    • to throw/​toss/​hurl/​fling/​chuck stones/​rocks/​a brick
    • to throw/​toss/​hurl/​fling something angrily
    • to throw/​toss something casually/​carelessly
    Extra Examples
    • She chucked the bags down onto the floor.
    • He picked up the letter and chucked it into the bin.
    • The children have been chucking their toys around again.
    • Chuck me that pen, can you?
    • He chucked the clothes into a drawer.
    • I chucked her the keys.
    • They were always chucking plates and things at each other.
  2. (informal) to give up or stop doing something
    • chuck something You haven't chucked your job!
    • chuck something in/up I'm going to chuck it all in (= give up my job) and go abroad.
    Extra Examples
    • He was tempted to chuck his job.
    • She had a go at learning the piano, but chucked it in after a year.
  3. chuck somebody (British English, informal) to leave your boyfriend or girlfriend and stop having a relationship with him or her
    • Has he chucked her?
    Topics Family and relationshipsc2
  4. chuck something (informal) to throw something away
    • That's no good—just chuck it.
  5. Word Originverb late 17th cent. (as a verb): from chuck, referring to a playful touch under the chin, probably from Old French chuquer, later choquer ‘to knock, bump’, of unknown ultimate origin.
Idioms
chuck somebody under the chin
  1. (old-fashioned) to touch somebody gently under the chin (= part of the face below the mouth) in a friendly way
it’s chucking it down
  1. (British English, informal) it’s raining heavily
See chuck in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
previously
adverb
 
 
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