throw in one's hand

English

Alternative forms

• throw one's hand

Etymology

throw + hand

Verb

throw in one's hand (third-person singular simple present throws in one's hand, present participle throwing in one's hand, simple past threw in one's hand, past participle thrown in one's hand)

1. To stop attempting to do something; to give up.
   • 1954 August, H. M. Madgwick, “The Blaenau Festiniog Tunnel”, in Railway Magazine, page 569:

     The outcome was that the contractor threw in his hand, and the work was completed by the company's own engineer for the area.