Upthrows

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. To launch or propel something upward with force; to cause a situation to change dramatically or unexpectedly; to create a state of upheaval or disorder with sudden action
2. To elevate or toss something into the air forcefully; to instigate a significant alteration in circumstances or dynamics; to disturb the normal functioning or order of something through abrupt movements
3. To send an object soaring upward through vigorous motion; to trigger an unforeseen shift in the current state of affairs; to disrupt established patterns or systems with swift actions

Etymology: "Upthrows" is the third-person singular present form of "upthrow," so it carries the same history as its base verb. "Upthrow" comes from Middle English "upthrowen," formed by joining "up" and "throw." Both parts are old, native English material: "throw" goes back to Old English "thrāwan," meaning to twist or turn, and only gradually narrowed to the sense of hurling something through the air. Attaching "up" gave the compound its literal sense of flinging something skyward. The verb's later figurative uses grew naturally from that picture. If you can toss an object upward with force, you can also toss a situation into disorder, so "upthrow" came to mean overturning established arrangements or setting off a sudden change. The compound is transparent in a way many English verbs are not: the physical gesture of throwing up is still visible inside the abstract meaning.

Synonyms: uplifts, upheavals, upthrusts

Antonyms: downthrows, subsidence