throw to the wolves
To sacrifice someone, especially in an attempt to save oneself.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He threw his friend to the wolves to save his own job.”
“When the project failed, the manager threw his assistant to the wolves to avoid taking the blame himself.”
“The politician chose to throw his most loyal advisor to the wolves, hoping the public would focus their anger elsewhere.”
- 01
cry wolf
To raise a false alarm; to constantly warn others about an imagined threat, thereby failing to get assistance when a real threat appears.
- 02
have the wolf by the ear
To be in a dangerous situation from which one cannot disengage, but in which one cannot safely remain.
- 03
keep the wolf from the door
To ward off poverty or hunger.
- 04
lock someone up and throw away the key
To lock someone up in prison indefinitely.
- 05
stone's throw
A short distance, roughly equivalent to how far a person can throw a stone.
- 06
throw a bone to
To provide support or assistance to, especially in one particular way or to a limited extent; to make a concession to.
- 07
throw a fit
To become angry, enraged, or upset; to act or react with an outburst, as by shouting, swearing, etc.
- 08
throw a kiss
To kiss one's hand, then make a gesture as if one was throwing the kiss in a direction towards the recipient.
Last updated August 10, 2026