- through */*/*/
- UK [θruː] / US [θru]
adjective, adverb, preposition
Summary:
Through can be used in the following ways: - as a preposition (followed by a noun): They were riding through a forest. - as an adverb (without a following noun): There's a hole in the roof where the rain comes through. - as an adjective: a through train1) from one end or side of something to the othera) into one end of a passage, tube, pipe etc and along it towards the other endThe railway runs through a tunnel.
Some pipes were almost blocked, so that hardly any water was trickling through.
b) from one side of a window, door, gate etc to the other side of itShe was watching him through the kitchen window.
The man at the gate would not let us through.
The men raced the stolen car through an army checkpoint at 100 mph.
You could feel the wind whistling through tiny cracks in the wall.
c) making a hole in something, or cutting it into piecesA workman was drilling through the concrete wall.
The soles of his shoes were nearly worn through in places.
Workers had cut through an electrical cable while they were digging.
d) across an area or space, or between a group of thingsMaynard spent a year travelling through Europe and Asia, giving lectures.
The path climbs steeply through the trees.
A tiny explosion sent sparks flying through the air.
2) during the whole of a period of time during the whole of a period of time until the end of itall through:Only one hotel remained open through the year.
the whole day/night/year etc through:He lay awake all through the night.
through to (= all the time until):They worked the whole day through.
The training programme will continue through to mid-April.
3) because of happening because of someone or somethingIn 1986 Professor Lowe retired through ill health.
Most accidents occur through human error.
4) by means of somethinga) by means of a particular method or experienceThrough hard work and determination the team has achieved remarkable success.
skills that we can only learn through experience
b) using a particular system, service, or personConcert tickets are being sold through the Internet.
Woods issued a statement through his agent.
c) if you know or hear of something through another person, they told you about it after hearing it from someone elseI heard through a friend of Caroline's that there's been trouble in the family.
5) to the end of a bad or difficult experiencea) experiencing an unpleasant situation until it endsI've been going through hell these last six months, waiting for the trial.
women who had lived through the horror and suffering of war
b) successfully reaching the end of a difficult situation or periodWe have come through the struggle stronger and more united than we were before.
The pain was terrible, but he pulled through when most other men would have died.
6) finished having finished an activity or piece of workI'm not sure what time he'll be through with his meeting.
Only one more letter to write. I'm nearly through.
7) communicating with someone by phone used for saying that you are connected to someone by phonebe/get through:put someone through (= connect someone to someone else by phone):I tried to phone the mayor's office, but I couldn't get through.
Can you put me through to Mr Pemberton, please?
8) affecting every part affecting every part of someone or somethingA rumour spread through the camp.
Problems extend through the entire system.
When she heard Bruno's voice, it sent a chill of terror through her.
9) passing an examination or test if you get through an examination or test, you succeed in passing itI'm no good at languages, so I'd never get through the exam.
He took his driving test for the third time and just managed to scrape through.
10) accepted by a parliament if a proposal goes through a parliament, it is accepted by it and becomes lawAn anti-terrorism bill was rushed through parliament.
Congress pushed through very large increases in AIDS funding.
11) reading or looking at every part reading or looking at every part of something, from the beginning to the end of itYou'd better read through the instructions carefully.
Christina hastily flicked through her diary.
I've been searching through all the files, but I can't find Hamilton's letter.
12) as far as a place, stage, or levela) if a train, bus etc goes through to a particular town, it goes as far as that townthrough to:Does this train go through to Glasgow?
b) as far as a particular stage or levelthrough to:The course takes students through to university degree level.
c) successfully reaching a person or placeIn spite of the terrible weather one plane managed to get through.
13) using all of something used for saying that a large amount of something is used during a period of timego/work/get through:We seem to be getting through two or three boxes of tissues a day.
•cooked/warmed/heated through
— thoroughly cooked/warmed/heatedRoast the chicken until it is cooked through.
half-way/part-way through
— in the middle of an activity, process, or period of timeWork stopped half-way through the project when the funding ran out.
Monday through Friday/July through December etc
— American from Monday until the end of Friday/from July until the end of December etcthe period from February 1 through June 30
show/shine/come through
— if a quality in someone's character shows/shines/comes through, people can see it in the way that person behaves, speaks, or writesThere was a quality of simplicity that shone through in her life and letters.
be through (with someone)
— to have ended a relationshipI've told Larry I'm through with him, but he keeps bothering me.
wet/soaked through
— extremely wet in every partYou're wet through, child. Take off those clothes at once.
English dictionary. 2014.
