throes

 
Pronunciation: /θrəʊz/

plural noun

  • intense or violent pain and struggle, especially accompanying birth, death, or great change: he convulsed in his death throes

Phrases

in the throes of

in the middle of doing or dealing with something very difficult or painful: a friend was in the throes of a divorce

Origin:

Middle English throwe (singular); perhaps related to Old English thrēa, thrawu 'calamity', influenced by thrōwian 'suffer'

Do not confuse throes with throws. Throes means 'great pain or difficulty' ( a country in the throes of a civil war), whereas throws is the present tense of the verb 'to throw' ( he throws his stuff into the car) or the plural of the noun throw ( three throws of the dice).