thrash

UK: /ˈθræʃ/ US: /θræʃ/ ,(thrash)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

thrash /θræʃ/   v. 

1. [~ + object] to beat soundly in punishment;
   flog.
2. to defeat thoroughly:
   [~ + object] Our team was thrashed by a score of 10-0.
3. to plunge about wildly or violently:
   [no object] She was thrashing around in bed, having a terribly bad nightmare.
4. thrash out or over, [~ + out/over + object] to talk over thoroughly to reach a decision or understanding:
   They decided to sit down and thrash out an agreement.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

thrash (thrash),  v.t. 

1. to beat soundly in punishment;
   flog.
2. to defeat thoroughly:
   The home team thrashed the visitors.
3. Nautical, Naval Terms to force (a close-hauled sailing ship under heavy canvas) against a strong wind or sea.
4. thresh.

v.i. 

5. to toss, or plunge about.
6. Nautical, Naval Terms to make way against the wind, tide, etc.;
   beat.
7. thresh.
8. thrash out or over, to talk over thoroughly and vigorously in order to reach a decision, conclusion, or understanding;
   discuss exhaustively.

n. 

9. an act or instance of thrashing;
   beating;
   blow.
10. thresh.
11. [Swimming.] the upward and downward movement of the legs, as in the crawl.
12. British Terms a party, usually with drinks.

• Middle English thrasshen, variant of thresshen to thresh bef. 900

Synonyms

• 1. maul, drub. See beat. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

thrash / θræʃ/ verb

1. (transitive) to beat soundly, as with a whip or stick
2. (transitive) to defeat totally; overwhelm
3. (intransitive) to beat or plunge about in a wild manner
4. to sail (a boat) against the wind or tide or (of a boat) to sail in this way
5. another word for thresh

noun

1. the act of thrashing; blow; beating
2. a party or similar social gathering

Etymology: Old English threscan; related to Old High German dreskan, Old Norse thriskja

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

thresh /θrɛʃ/   v. 

1. to separate the grain from (a cereal plant), as by beating with a tool: [~ + object]
   to thresh the wheat.
   [no object]
   spent all day in the fields threshing.

n. [countable]

2. the act of threshing.

Sometimes, thrash /θræʃ/ . thresh•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

thresh (thresh),  v.t. 

1. to separate the grain or seeds from (a cereal plant or the like) by some mechanical means, as by beating with a flail or by the action of a threshing machine.
2. to beat as if with a flail.

v.i. 

3. to thresh wheat, grain, etc.
4. to deliver blows as if with a flail.
5. thresh out or over. See thrash (def. 8).

n. 

6. the act of threshing.

Also, thrash. 

• bef. 900; Middle English threschen, thresshen, Old English threscan; cognate with German dreschen, Gothic thriskan; akin to Dutch dorsen, Old Norse thriskja