throes
/θrəʊz/plural noun
- intense or violent pain and struggle, especially accompanying birth, death, or great change（尤指分娩、死亡或巨大变化时的）阵痛; 挣扎的痛苦：
he convulsed in his death throes.
他在临终痛苦中抽搐。
短语
in the throes of
- in the middle of doing or dealing with something very difficult or painful处于…困境（或痛苦）中：
a friend was in the throes of a divorce.
有个朋友正处于离婚痛苦中。
词源
Middle English throwe (singular); perhaps related to Old English thrēa, thrawu 'calamity'， influenced by thrōwian 'suffer'.