throw in the towel

Meaning(s)

1. decide to stop/give up, cease trying

Popularity

Medium

Professional

Medium

Social

Check Icon How to Memorize

it's time to throw in the towel (and start something new)

Check Icon Analysis

 The idiom ‘to throw in the towel’ means to give up or to quit. This idiom comes from the world of boxing where a person throws in a towel when they admit defeat. This idiom can be used in social and professional contexts.

Check Icon Social Examples (Basic)

  1. After four years of boxing, I got a very bad injury and had to throw in the towel.
  2. I've been trying for years to pass this exam. Maybe it's time to throw in the towel.

Check Icon Professional Examples (Basic)

  1. We couldn't compete with their prices so we had to throw in the towel and focus on our other strengths in order to make a profit.
  2. When the recession hit we couldn't afford to keep the business running so it was time to throw in the towel and stop trading.

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