tirar la toalla

Spanish

Etymology

From the traditional signal from a boxer's support staff of throwing such an item into a boxing ring to indicate that the contestant cannot continue the match and is forfeiting to the opponent.

Pronunciation

 
  • IPA(key): /tiˌɾaɾ la toˈaʝa/ [t̪iˌɾaɾ la t̪oˈa.ʝa] (most of Spain and Latin America)
  • IPA(key): /tiˌɾaɾ la toˈaʎa/ [t̪iˌɾaɾ la t̪oˈa.ʎa] (rural northern Spain, Andes Mountains, Paraguay, Philippines)
  • IPA(key): /tiˌɾaɾ la toˈaʃa/ [t̪iˌɾaɾ la t̪oˈa.ʃa] (Buenos Aires and environs)
  • IPA(key): /tiˌɾaɾ la toˈaʒa/ [t̪iˌɾaɾ la t̪oˈa.ʒa] (elsewhere in Argentina and Uruguay)

  • Syllabification: ti‧rar la to‧a‧lla

Verb

tirar la toalla (first-person singular present tiro la toalla, first-person singular preterite tiré la toalla, past participle tirado la toalla)

  1. (idiomatic) to throw in the towel; to give up; to quit

Conjugation

Further reading

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