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# throw up

phrase (phrasal verb: throw up, throws up, threw up, thrown up, throwing up)

«throw up» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (everyday) vomit; be sick.
2. to produce or show something unexpected: «The test threw up some surprises.»
3. (literal) throw something upwards.
4. (informal) build something quickly: «throw up a fence».

### In the lessons

The most common everyday way to say «vomit», softer than the medical word; used at home, at school and by parents in all English-speaking countries. UK people also say «be sick». Other senses appear in news and work talk.

### Examples

- (home) I think I'm going to throw up!
- (school) A boy threw up on the coach.
- (doctor) Have you thrown up today?
- (chat) that ride made me throw up lol
- (news) The survey threw up some strange results.
- (literal) She threw the ball up and caught it.
- (building) They threw up a shed in one afternoon.

### Note

Trap: in «threw the ball up» it is literal. Past: threw up; past participle: thrown up. UK «I was sick» can mean «I vomited», not just «I was ill». Rough slang alternatives: «puke», «barf».