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Meaning of throw the book at | Babel Free

Verb CEFR C2

Definitions

To charge with or convict of as many crimes as possible.
idiomatic, informal, transitive
To apply the harshest possible punishment to.
idiomatic, informal, transitive
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see throw, the, book, at.

Equivalents

Polski powiedzieć do słuchu

Examples

“COURT THROWS BOOK AT HIM: ... Thomas Pasco, beggar, got everything the statutes would permit Judge Binkle to give him yesterday afternoon.”

“[C]riminals ... dreaded to be brought into his court, as a conviction meant a severe sentence. As one criminal expressed it to another, "The judge throws the book at you."”

“The judge, not weeping any, throws the book at him, which means he gives Bob the limit.”

CEFR level

C2

Mastery
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.

See also

throw the bull throw the bull around throw the handkerchief throw the hatchet throw the rulebook at throw them bows