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Launch vs. Throw — What's the Difference?

Launch vs. Throw — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Launch and Throw

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Launch

Set (a boat) in motion by pushing it or allowing it to roll into the water
The town's lifeboat was launched to rescue the fishermen

Throw

To propel through the air with a motion of the hand or arm.

Launch

Start or set in motion (an activity or enterprise)
The government is to launch a £1.25 million publicity campaign

Throw

To propel or discharge into the air by any means
A machine that throws tennis balls.
Ash that was thrown by an erupting volcano.

Launch

An act or instance of launching something
The launch of a new campaign against drinking and driving
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Throw

To cause to move with great force or speed; propel or displace
Threw themselves on the food.
Jetsam that had been thrown up onto the shore.

Launch

A large motorboat, used especially for short trips
A police launch halted a small boat
She cruised the waterways on a luxury motor launch

Throw

To force (an opponent) to the ground or floor, as in wrestling or the martial arts.

Launch

To throw or propel with force; hurl
Launch a spear.

Throw

To cause to fall off
The horse threw its rider.

Launch

To set or thrust (a self-propelled craft or projectile) in motion
Launch a rocket.
Launch a torpedo.

Throw

(Informal) To cause confusion or perplexity in; disconcert or nonplus
We didn't let our worries throw us.

Launch

(Nautical) To put (a boat) into the water in readiness for use.

Throw

To put on or off hastily or carelessly
Throw on a jacket.

Launch

To set going; initiate
Launch a career.
Launch a business venture.

Throw

To put suddenly or forcefully into a given condition, position, or activity
Threw him into a fit of laughter.
Threw some supper together.
Threw her leg over the arm of the chair.

Launch

To introduce to the public or to a market
Launched the new perfume with prime-time commercials on the major networks.

Throw

To devote, apply, or direct
Threw all their resources into the new endeavor.
Threw the blame onto the others.

Launch

To give (someone) a start, as in a career or vocation.

Throw

To form on a potter's wheel
Throw a vase.

Launch

To begin a new venture or phase; embark
Launch forth on a dangerous mission.
Launched out on her own after college.

Throw

To twist (fibers) into thread.

Launch

To enter enthusiastically into something; plunge
Launched into a description of the movie.

Throw

To roll (dice).

Launch

The act of launching.

Throw

To roll (a particular combination) with dice.

Launch

A large ship's boat.

Throw

To discard or play (a card).

Launch

A large, open motorboat.

Throw

To send forth; project
She threw me a look of encouragement.

Launch

(transitive) To throw (a projectile such as a lance, dart or ball); to hurl; to propel with force.

Throw

To cause (one's voice) to seem to come from a source other than oneself.

Launch

To pierce with, or as with, a lance.

Throw

To cause to fall on or over something; cast
The rising sun threw shadows across the lawn. We threw sheets over the furniture before we painted the ceiling.

Launch

(transitive) To cause (a vessel) to move or slide from the land or a larger vessel into the water; to set afloat.
The navy launched another ship.

Throw

To bear (young). Used of cows or horses, for example.

Launch

(transitive) To cause (a rocket, balloon, etc., or the payload thereof) to begin its flight upward from the ground.
NASA launched several unmanned rockets before launching any of the Mercury astronauts.

Throw

To arrange or give (a party, for example).

Launch

(transitive) To send out; to start (someone) on a mission or project; to give a start to (something); to put in operation
Our business launched a new project.

Throw

To move (a lever or switch) in order to activate, deactivate, or control a device.

Launch

To start (a program or feature); to execute or bring into operation.
Double-click an icon to launch the associated application.

Throw

(Informal) To lose or give up (a contest, for example) purposely.

Launch

(transitive) To release; to put onto the market for sale

Throw

To abandon oneself to; have
Heard the news and threw a fit.

Launch

(intransitive) Of a ship, rocket, balloon, etc.: to depart on a voyage; to take off.

Throw

To commit (oneself), especially for leniency or support
Threw himself on the mercy of the court.

Launch

To move with force and swiftness like a sliding from the stocks into the water; to plunge; to begin.
To launch into an argument or discussion
To launch into lavish expenditures

Throw

To deliver (a punch), as in boxing
Threw a left hook.

Launch

To start to operate.
After clicking the icon, the application will launch.

Throw

To cast, fling, or hurl something.

Launch

The movement of a vessel from land into the water; especially, the sliding on ways from the stocks on which it is built. (Compare: to splash a ship.)

Throw

The act or an instance of throwing.

Launch

The act or fact of launching (a ship/vessel, a project, a new book, etc.).

Throw

The distance to which something is or can be thrown
A stone's throw away.

Launch

An event held to celebrate the launch of a ship/vessel, project, a new book, etc.; a launch party.
Product launch
Book launch

Throw

A roll or cast of dice.

Launch

(nautical) The boat of the largest size and/or of most importance belonging to a ship of war, and often called the "captain's boat" or "captain's launch".

Throw

The combination of numbers so obtained.

Launch

(nautical) A boat used to convey guests to and from a yacht.

Throw

(Informal) A single chance, venture, or instance
"could afford up to forty-five bucks a throw to wax sentimental over their heritage" (John Simon).

Launch

(nautical) An open boat of any size powered by steam, petrol, electricity, etc.

Throw

(Sports) The act of throwing or a technique used to throw an opponent in wrestling or the martial arts.

Launch

To throw, as a lance or dart; to hurl; to let fly.

Throw

A light blanket or coverlet, such as an afghan.

Launch

To strike with, or as with, a lance; to pierce.
Launch your hearts with lamentable wounds.

Throw

A scarf or shawl.

Launch

To cause to move or slide from the land into the water; to set afloat; as, to launch a ship.
With stays and cordage last he rigged the ship,And rolled on levers, launched her in the deep.

Throw

The radius of a circle described by a crank, cam, or similar machine part.

Launch

To send out; to start (one) on a career; to set going; to give a start to (something); to put in operation; as, to launch a son in the world; to launch a business project or enterprise.
All art is used to sink episcopacy, and launch presbytery in England.

Throw

The maximum displacement of a machine part moved by another part, such as a crank or cam.

Launch

To move with force and swiftness like a sliding from the stocks into the water; to plunge; to make a beginning; as, to launch into the current of a stream; to launch into an argument or discussion; to launch into lavish expenditures; - often with out.
Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
He [Spenser] launches out into very flowery paths.

Throw

(Geology) The amount of vertical displacement of a fault.

Launch

The act of launching.

Throw

(transitive) To hurl; to cause an object to move rapidly through the air.
Throw a shoe; throw a javelin; the horse threw its rider

Launch

The movement of a vessel from land into the water; especially, the sliding on ways from the stocks on which it is built.

Throw

(transitive) To eject or cause to fall off.

Launch

The boat of the largest size belonging to a ship of war; also, an open boat of any size driven by steam, naphtha, electricity, or the like.

Throw

(transitive) To move to another position or condition; to displace.
Throw the switch

Launch

A motorboat with an open deck or a half deck

Throw

(ceramics) To make (a pot) by shaping clay as it turns on a wheel.

Launch

The act of propelling with force

Throw

To deliver (the ball) illegally by straightening the bowling arm during delivery.

Launch

Set up or found;
She set up a literacy program

Throw

To send (an error) to an exception-handling mechanism in order to interrupt normal processing.
If the file is read-only, the method throws an invalid-operation exception.

Launch

Propel with force;
Launch the space shuttle
Launch a ship

Throw

To intentionally lose a game.
The tennis player was accused of taking bribes to throw the match.

Launch

Launch for the first time; launch on a maiden voyage;
Launch a ship

Throw

To confuse or mislead.
The deliberate red herring threw me at first.

Launch

Begin with vigor;
He launched into a long diatribe
She plunged into a dangerous adventure

Throw

(figuratively) To send desperately.
Their sergeant threw the troops into pitched battle.

Launch

Get going; give impetus to;
Launch a career
Her actions set in motion a complicated judicial process

Throw

(transitive) To imprison.
The magistrate ordered the suspect to be thrown into jail.

Launch

Smoothen the surface of;
Float plaster

Throw

To organize an event, especially a party.

Throw

(ambitransitive) To roll (a die or dice).

Throw

(transitive) To cause a certain number on the die or dice to be shown after rolling it.

Throw

To discard.

Throw

(martial arts) To lift the opponent off the ground and bring him back down, especially into a position behind the thrower.

Throw

To change in order to give the illusion that the voice is that of someone else.

Throw

(transitive) To show sudden emotion, especially anger.

Throw

(transitive) To project or send forth.

Throw

To put on hastily; to spread carelessly. I don't see, that "spreading" could be any meaning of "putting on". Was it meant to be a second meaning?

Throw

To twist two or more filaments of (silk, etc.) so as to form one thread; to twist together, as singles, in a direction contrary to the twist of the singles themselves; sometimes applied to the whole class of operations by which silk is prepared for the weaver.

Throw

To select (a pitcher); to assign a pitcher to a given role (such as starter or reliever).

Throw

(transitive) To install (a bridge).

Throw

To twist or turn.
A thrown nail

Throw

(American football) pass

Throw

To deliver.

Throw

Of animals: to give birth to (young).

Throw

Obsolete spelling of throe

Throw

The flight of a thrown object.
What a great throw by the quarterback!

Throw

The act of throwing something.
With an accurate throw, he lassoed the cow.
The gambler staked everything on one throw of the dice.

Throw

One's ability to throw.
He's got a girl's throw.
He's always had a pretty decent throw.

Throw

A distance travelled; displacement.
The throw of the piston

Throw

A piece of fabric used to cover a bed, sofa or other soft furnishing.

Throw

A single instance, occurrence, venture, or chance.
Football tickets are expensive at fifty bucks a throw.

Throw

(veterinary medicine) The act of giving birth in animals, especially in cows.

Throw

(obsolete) A moment, time, occasion.

Throw

(obsolete) A period of time; a while.

Throw

Obsolete spelling of throe

Throw

Pain; especially, pain of travail; throe.

Throw

Time; while; space of time; moment; trice.
I will with Thomas speak a little throw.

Throw

The act of hurling or flinging; a driving or propelling from the hand or an engine; a cast.
He heaved a stone, and, rising to the throw,He sent it in a whirlwind at the foe.

Throw

A stroke; a blow.
Nor shield defend the thunder of his throws.

Throw

The distance which a missile is, or may be, thrown; as, a stone's throw.

Throw

A cast of dice; the manner in which dice fall when cast; as, a good throw.

Throw

An effort; a violent sally.
Your youth admiresThe throws and swellings of a Roman soul.

Throw

The extreme movement given to a sliding or vibrating reciprocating piece by a cam, crank, eccentric, or the like; travel; stroke; as, the throw of a slide valve. Also, frequently, the length of the radius of a crank, or the eccentricity of an eccentric; as, the throw of the crank of a steam engine is equal to half the stroke of the piston.

Throw

A potter's wheel or table; a jigger. See 2d Jigger, 2 (a).

Throw

A turner's lathe; a throwe.

Throw

The amount of vertical displacement produced by a fault; - according to the direction it is designated as an upthrow, or a downthrow.

Throw

To fling, cast, or hurl with a certain whirling motion of the arm, to throw a ball; - distinguished from to toss, or to bowl.

Throw

To fling or cast in any manner; to drive to a distance from the hand or from an engine; to propel; to send; as, to throw stones or dust with the hand; a cannon throws a ball; a fire engine throws a stream of water to extinguish flames.

Throw

To drive by violence; as, a vessel or sailors may be thrown upon a rock.

Throw

To cause to take a strategic position; as, he threw a detachment of his army across the river.

Throw

To overturn; to prostrate in wrestling; as, a man throws his antagonist.

Throw

To cast, as dice; to venture at dice.
Set less than thou throwest.

Throw

To put on hastily; to spread carelessly.
O'er his fair limbs a flowery vest he threw.

Throw

To divest or strip one's self of; to put off.
There the snake throws her enameled skin.

Throw

To form or shape roughly on a throwing engine, or potter's wheel, as earthen vessels.

Throw

To give forcible utterance to; to cast; to vent.
I have thrownA brave defiance in King Henry's teeth.

Throw

To bring forth; to produce, as young; to bear; - said especially of rabbits.

Throw

To twist two or more filaments of, as silk, so as to form one thread; to twist together, as singles, in a direction contrary to the twist of the singles themselves; - sometimes applied to the whole class of operations by which silk is prepared for the weaver.

Throw

To perform the act of throwing or casting; to cast; specifically, to cast dice.

Throw

The act of throwing (propelling something through the air with a rapid movement of the arm and wrist);
The catcher made a good throw to second base

Throw

A single chance or instance;
He couldn't afford $50 a throw

Throw

The maximum movement available to a pivoted or reciprocating piece by a cam

Throw

The distance that something can be thrown;
It is just a stone's throw from here

Throw

Bedclothes consisting of a lightweight cloth covering (an afghan or bedspread) that is casually thrown over something

Throw

The throwing of an object in order to determine an outcome randomly;
He risked his fortune on a throw of the dice

Throw

Project through the air;
Throw a frisbee

Throw

Move violently, energetically, or carelessly;
She threw herself forwards

Throw

Get rid of;
He shed his image as a pushy boss
Shed your clothes

Throw

Place or put with great energy;
She threw the blanket around the child
Thrust the money in the hands of the beggar

Throw

Convey or communicate; of a smile, a look, a physical gesture;
Throw a glance
She gave me a dirty look

Throw

Cause to go on or to be engaged or set in operation;
Switch on the light
Throw the lever

Throw

Put or send forth;
She threw the flashlight beam into the corner
The setting sun threw long shadows
Cast a spell
Cast a warm light

Throw

To put into a state or activity hastily, suddenly, or carelessly;
Jane threw dinner together
Throw the car into reverse

Throw

Cause to be confused emotionally

Throw

Utter with force; utter vehemently;
Hurl insults
Throw accusations at someone

Throw

Organize or be responsible for;
Hold a reception
Have, throw, or make a party
Give a course

Throw

Make on a potter's wheel;
She threw a beautiful teapot

Throw

Cause to fall off;
The horse threw its unexperienced rider

Throw

Throw (a die) out onto a flat surface;
Throw a six

Throw

Be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly;
These questions confuse even the experts
This question completely threw me
This question befuddled even the teacher

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