throw in the towel
Meaning(s)
1. decide to stop/give up, cease trying
Popularity
Medium
Professional
Medium
Social
How to Memorize
it's time to throw in the towel (and start something new)
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.
Social Examples (Basic)
- After four years of boxing, I got a very bad injury and had to throw in the towel.
- I've been trying for years to pass this exam. Maybe it's time to throw in the towel.
Professional Examples (Basic)
- 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.
- 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.