throw the book at

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throw the book at

To apply the harshest possible punishment to.

Etymology:

The meaning "sum of criminal charges" is from 1926, hence slang phrase throw the book at (1932) (Found here: https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=%22throw%20the%20book%22 )

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“

We thought the judge was going to go easy on the first time offender, but instead, he threw the book at him and gave him the maximum sentence allowed by law.

Collection Edit

Submitted on September 01, 2009

Modified by TriplePurple on August 06, 2024

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to throw the book at

throw smoke throw to the dogs throw oneself at throw to the dogs throw out throw up throw somebody a curve throw to the wind throw to the wolves throw to the dogs throw under the bus throw together Throw Your Weight Around throw up

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Alex
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US English
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British
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British
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British
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Australian
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Australian
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Australian
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Indian
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Indian
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Indian
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US English
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British
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British
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US English
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South African

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"throw the book at." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/throw-the-book-at_7511>.

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