throb

A beating, vibration or palpitation.

Noun

  1. A beating, vibration or palpitation.
    • He could feel a dull throb in his head from the tension.
    • My bosom was now bare, and rising in the warmest throbs, presented to his sight and feeling the firm hard swell of a pair of young breasts, such as may be imagin'd of a girl not sixteen, fresh out of the country - 1749,...

Origin

From Middle English throbben; possibly of imitative origin.

Forms

throbs

Derived

throbber throbby heartthrob wind throb

Verb

  1. To pound or beat rapidly or violently.
    • Her heart began to throb faster as the moment approached.
  2. To pulse (often painfully) in time with the circulation of blood.
    • I have a throbbing headache.
  3. To exhibit an attitude, trait, or affect powerfully and profoundly.
    • The bass in the song made the entire room throb with energy.
    • Having been married and divorced, Suzanne throbs with attitudes of strength, liberation and equality. - 1977 April 23, Arlene Silva, “Suzanne Fox's Silent Stories”, in Gay Community News, page 10:
    • This is a country where nightclubs in Thimbu, the capital, throb with techno music, but where smoking is illegal and television did not arrive until 1999. - 2008 March 21, Tim Sullivan, “Bhutanese reluctantly stepping...

Forms

throbs throbbing throbbed

Derived

athrob heart-throbbing outthrob throbbingly throbless