See Also:

through(4) (iou)



through preposition & adverb. Also thro', (non-standard) thru.
[Old English Turh = Old Frisian thruch, Old Saxon Turh, Turu, Middle & mod. Dutch door, Old High German duruh, -ih, dur (German durch, dial. dur) from West Germanic. The metath. forms appear c 1300 and are standard from 15. Cf. THOROUGH preposition & adverb.]
A. preposition.
From one end, side, or surface of (a body or space) to the other, by passing within it; into one end, side, or surface of and out at the other. OE.
E. Bowen She peered through gaps in the shrubbery. M. Keane She climbed in through the window. D. Abse Drawing air through their nostrils. A. Carter The damp seeped through her thin shoes. M. Roberts The sun pours in through the big bay window.
Between, among; along within. OE.
Keats The hare limp'd trembling through the frozen grass. T. Hardy He ploughed his way through beds of spear-grass. G. Greene I would go for a walk through the rain. I. McEwan She swept her fingers through her hair.
Over or about the whole extent of, all over; throughout; everywhere in. Cf. THROUGHOUT preposition 2a. OE.
M. Sinclair A bell clamoured suddenly through the quiet house.
a. From beginning to end of; in or along the whole length or course of; spec. during the whole temporal extent of. Cf. THROUGHOUT preposition 2b. OE.
D. H. Lawrence Angry and stiff, she went through her last term. H. Read The mill..was working through the night. L. Bruce I would sit all alone through endless hours and days. B. Guest The group..arrived in Rome, where they stayed through Christmas.
b. To the end of. E17.
G. Berkeley Seven children..came all very well through the small-pox.
By means of, via; by the agency or (arch.) the action of. Also (spec.), as a usu. intermediate stage or member of (a list, sequence, etc.). OE.
G. Greene We could find the address for you through the organisers. E. Figes Hydrangea shading from pink through mauve to sky blue. Truck It drives through a Mack five-speed gearbox.
By reason of, on account of, owing to. OE.
J. Rosenberg Rembrandt enjoyed a rapid rise in his social position through his marriage.
At a certain position or point reached with respect to, esp. at the end of; spec. (a) lit. at a point beyond, at the far end of; (b) fig. having finished or completed, done with. L18.
V. Woolf Halfway through dinner he made himself look across at Clarissa. S. Trott When Maud's through work, she's coming over to see you.
Up to and including, until. N. Amer. L18.
L. Deighton Deliveries..only accepted between eight and eleven Monday through Friday.
Above the sound of. E19.
b. adverb.
a. From end to end, side to side, or surface to surface of a body or space, by passing or extending within it. OE.
Scott Fitzgerald Rosemary waited on the outskirts while Dick fought his way through.
b. All the way; to the end of a journey; to a destination. E17.
Oxford English Dictionary The train goes through to Edinburgh.
From beginning to end; to the end or conclusion. ME.
Law Times Having heard the case through and seen the witnesses.
Through the whole extent, substance, or thickness; entirely, thoroughly. Used after (formerly before) adjectives or pa. pples. Cf. THOROUGH adverb. ME.
M. Lavin Charlotte was shot through with bitter regret.
At or having reached a certain position or condition; spec. (a) lit. having penetrated or crossed a body or space; (b) fig. finished, at an end, having completed or accomplished something, esp. having passed an examination. L15.
Scott Fitzgerald With the new plan he could be through by spring. M. Marrin That's it...I'm through I've had enough of this crew.
So as to be connected by telephone. E20.
Phrases (of preposition & adverb): (of the many phrs. in which through forms an elem. in a phrasal verb or governs a noun, few are listed here: see the verbs and nouns) be through, get through have achieved, achieve, a pass mark in (an examination etc.). be through with have finished or completed; have done with; be tired of, have had enough of. get through: see be through above. go through one's hands, go through a machine, etc., undergo some process or treatment, esp. as a stage of a larger process, be dealt with. go through the roof: see ROOF noun. pass through one's hands, pass through a machine, etc. = go through one's hands, go through a machine above. shoot a person through: see SHOOT verb. strike through: see STRIKE verb. talk through: see TALK verb. through and through (a) [from THROUGH preposition] repeatedly through; right through, fully through; (b) [from THROUGH adverb] in all points or respects, thoroughly, entirely; repeatedly through the whole substance or entirety, through again and again. through-the-lens adjective (of light measurement) in which the light which is measured is that passing through the lens of the camera. wet through: see WET adjective. worry through: see WORRY verb 7.