underthrow

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verb

To throw a pass that falls short of the receiver. (May take either the thrown pass or the receiver as its direct object.)

OriginMiddle English underthrowen →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

verbunderthrow (third-person singular simple present underthrows, present participle underthrowing, simple past underthrew, past participle underthrown)

present singular third person underthrows · participle present underthrowing · past underthrew · participle past underthrown

  1. To throw a pass that falls short of the receiver. (May take either the thrown pass or the receiver as its direct object.)

    The underthrown pass was knocked down.

    1960 December 27, Joseph M. Sheehan, “Eagles Win, 17-13, To Take Pro Title”, in The New York Times
    1 more example

    During the Jets’ recent 1-3 slide, Favre has repeatedly missed and underthrown receivers on his way to a single touchdown pass and six interceptions.

    2008 December 26, Joshua Robinson, “Jets Say Third Down Is Their Priority”, in The New York Times

Origin

  1. Middle Englishunderthrowen
  2. Englishunderthrow

From Middle English underthrowen, equivalent to under- + throw.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

underthrow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underthrow

MLA

“underthrow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underthrow. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “underthrow,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underthrow.

Source: underthrow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.