throb
/θrɔb/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb:
- To beat or pulsate with a strong, often painful or rapid, rhythm. This is most commonly used to describe the physical sensation of a heartbeat, a headache, or a wound.
- To feel or show a strong, regular emotion or vibration.
Noun:
- A single instance or the feeling of a strong, rhythmic beat or pulsation.
- A strong, regular wave of emotion.
Usage
- Verb (Intransitive): The word "throb" is typically used without a direct object to describe the source of the pulsation itself.
- My head began to throb after staring at the screen all day.
- Her heart throbbed with excitement as she waited for the results.
- Noun (Countable): It is often used with articles (a, the) or possessives (my, its).
- He felt a dull throb in his injured ankle.
- The constant throb of the bass from the club next door kept me awake.
Advanced Usage
- "to throb with (emotion)": To be filled with and physically affected by a powerful emotion.
- His chest throbbed with pride as he watched his daughter graduate.
- Describing persistent, rhythmic pain: "Throb" implies a continuous, wave-like pain, distinct from a sharp, stabbing pain.
- The toothache settled into a steady, agonizing throb.
Variants and Related Words
- Throbbing (Adjective/Verb form): Used to describe something that is pulsating.
- She had a throbbing headache. (Adjective)
- The throbbing pain finally subsided. (Adjective)
- Throbber (Noun, informal): In computing, a graphical element (often an animated icon) that pulses to indicate a process is working.
Synonyms
- Pulsate: To expand and contract rhythmically. (More clinical)
- Pound: To beat heavily and forcefully. (Often implies more force or violence than "throb")
- Beat: To strike repeatedly. (The most general term)
- Palpitate: To beat very rapidly or irregularly, often from emotion. (Usually specific to the heart)
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions
- Throb away: To continue throbbing persistently.
- The headache throbbed away for hours despite the medicine.
Related Idioms
- A throb of (emotion): A sudden, powerful feeling.
- She felt a throb of jealousy when she saw them together.
- The throb of (a place): The palpable, rhythmic energy or activity of a location.
- He loved the throb of the city at night.
Noun
- an instance of rapid strong pulsation (of the heart)
- he felt a throbbing in his head
- a deep pulsating type of pain
Verb
- tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
- expand and contract rhythmically; beat rhythmically
- The baby's heart was pulsating again after the surgeon massaged it
- pulsate or pound with abnormal force
- my head is throbbing
- Her heart was throbbing