thrown in the towel
Admitted total defeat
To throw in the towel is to give up or admit defeat, from boxing, where a fighter's corner tosses a towel into the ring to stop the bout.
The past tense form appears when someone has already quit: By the third quarter, the coach had thrown in the towel.
She's thrown in the towel on her dissertation.
- give upStop attempting something
- quitCease doing something
- boxingCombat sport using fists
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
- white flagSignal of capitulation
abandon · concede · tap out · down for the count · retire · pack it in · capitulate · yield · admit defeat · abdicate · defeat · resign · cry uncle · demoralized · wave the white flag · call it quits · cut your losses · withdraw
thrown in the towelpersevered
Continued despite difficulty
kept going · soldiered on · never gave up · pressed on · powered through
throw, thrown, throws, throwing, thrower, towel, towels, toweling, towelled