In the Last Throes

In the Last Throes In the Last Throes In the Last Throes By Maeve Maddox An amusing egg-corn that has just appeared on my radar is that of writing in the throes of as in the throws of. A protagonist in the throws of madness Plaster cast of a Pompeii resident in the throws of death Iraq is in the last throws of insurgency AMD in final death throws? in the throws of the epidemic Question: Why do cockroaches die on their backs? Answer: Because in the throws of death, they often tip or topple over Although both words may derive from the same Old English word, à ¾rawan to twist, turn writhe, theyve been used with distinctly different meanings long enough to make the mix-up amusing. (Throe may derive instead from O.E. à ¾rowian to suffer.) The OED offers these definitions: throe: A violent spasm or pang, such as convulses the body, limbs, or face. Also, a spasm of feeling; a paroxysm; agony of mind; anguish.  Ã‚  Ã‚      The pain and struggle of childbirth; pl. labour-pangs. The agony of death; the death-struggle, death-throe. A violent convulsion or struggle preceding or accompanying the ‘bringing forth’ of something. To confuse the issue, theres a blog called In the Throws of Resistance, and a song called In the Throws of a Moral Quandary. Theres also a villainous group (Marvel Comics) called the Death-Throws. Their name is a pun on death throes. Theyre jugglers. The things they throw cause death, hence, death throws. Take care next time you want to express the idea of intense suffering or passion. Throes in the sense of violent feeling is too good a word to throw away. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Grammar Mistakes You Should AvoidDeck the HallsDrama vs. Melodrama