thrash

This time, for sure! = T = thread

thrash vi.

To move wildly or violently, without accomplishing anything useful. Paging or swapping systems that are overloaded waste most of their time moving data into and out of core (rather than performing useful computation) and are therefore said to thrash. Someone who keeps changing his mind (esp. about what to work on next) is said to be thrashing. A person frantically trying to execute too many tasks at once (and not spending enough time on any single task) may also be described as thrashing. Compare multitask.

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Thrash (?), Thresh (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Thrashed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Thrashing.] [OE. reschen, reshen, to beat, AS. erscan, rescan; akin to D. dorschen, OD. derschen, G. dreschen, OHG. dreskan, Icel. reskja, Sw. troska, Dan. taerske, Goth. riskan, Lith. traszketi to rattle, Russ. treskate to burst, crackle, tresk' a crash, OSlav. troska a stroke of lighting. Cf. Thresh.]

1.

To beat out grain from, as straw or husks; to beat the straw or husk of (grain) with a flail; to beat off, as the kernels of grain; as, to thrash wheat, rye, or oats; to thrash over the old straw.

The wheat was reaped, thrashed, and winnowed by machines. H. Spencer.

2.

To beat soundly, as with a stick or whip; to drub.

© Webster 1913.

Thrash, Thresh, v. t.

1.

To practice thrashing grain or the like; to perform the business of beating grain from straw; as, a man who thrashes well.

2.

Hence, to labor; to toil; also, to move violently.

I rather would be Maevius, thrash for rhymes, Like his, the scorn and scandal of the times. Dryden.

© Webster 1913.