B2idiominformalsuccessIELTS-friendly
throw in the towel
USUK
to give up because you cannot succeed
From boxing, where a coach throws a towel into the ring to stop the fight. 'Throw the towel' without 'in' is a common slip.
In context
After failing the test three times, I nearly threw in the towel.
The shop owner finally threw in the towel and closed after ten years.
More idioms about success
- a blessing in disguisesomething that seems bad at first but later brings a good result
- a close calla situation in which you only just avoid danger or failure
- a dream come truesomething you have wanted for a long time that has finally happened
- a feather in your capan achievement that you can be proud of and that may help you later
- a flash in the pana sudden success that does not last or happen again