throw the book
Impose harshest penalty
To throw the book at someone is to punish them as severely as possible, applying every applicable charge or penalty.
The image is of a judge hurling the entire statute book: The prosecutor wanted to throw the book at him for the robbery.
Sometimes shortened to just throw the book: They're going to throw the book.
- punishPenalize for wrongdoing
- lay down the lawEnforce rules firmly
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- life sentenceImprisonment without release
- judgeOne who decides
court · gavel · harsh · maximum · penalty · prosecute · convict · strict · law · charges · verdict · hammer · slam · justice · prison · hard time · guilty · sentencing
throw the booklet off
Freed from blame
let off the hook · slap on the wrist · let slide · look the other way · cut some slack
throw the bookshow mercy
Treat with leniency
let off the hook · pardon · forgive · look the other way · turn a blind eye
throw, book, threw, thrown, throwing, throws, books, booked, booking