throw about

English edit

throw about (third-person singular simple present throws about, present participle throwing about, simple past threw about, past participle thrown about)

(obsolete, nautical) To change direction; to change from one tack to another.
Synonyms: go about, put about
- 1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “Prosopopoia. Or Mother Hubberds Tale.”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC:
  That now vnto despaire I gin to growe,
  And meane for better winde about to throwe.
- 1805, The Naval Chronicle: Volume 14, July-December 1805:
  when they were got about two miles a-head, they threw about, and stood for us again
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see throw,‎ about.
When the ship entered the violent storm, all the passengers were thrown about.