“Thru” is an informal spelling of “through.”
Understanding the Word “Through”
- As a Preposition
- It can indicate movement from one end or side of an object, place, or situation to the other. For example, “The train went through the tunnel.” Here, it shows the path of the train from the entrance to the exit of the tunnel.
- It can also mean during the whole period of. For example, “She worked through the night.” This implies that her work continued for the entire night.
- As an Adverb
- It can mean from beginning to end. For example, “Read the book through.” It tells the reader to read the entire book.
The Concept of Synonyms
- General Explanation
- Synonyms are words that have a similar meaning to another word. They are useful in language as they provide variety, help avoid repetition, and can sometimes express a more nuanced sense of the meaning we want to convey. For example, instead of always using the word “happy”, we can use synonyms like “joyful”, “elated”, or “content” to make our language more engaging and precise.
Synonyms for “Through” (and thus “Thru”)
- Across
- As a preposition, “across” also implies movement from one side to another. For example, “He walked across the bridge.” The difference between “through” and “across” is that “across” usually refers to a movement on a surface (like a bridge), while “through” often implies movement within an enclosed space (like a tunnel). But in some cases, they can be used interchangeably, such as “The hikers walked through/across the field.”
- Throughout
- As a preposition, “throughout” means in every part of or during the whole of. For example, “His influence was felt throughout the organization.” It is similar to “through” in the sense of covering an entire period or space, but “throughout” emphasizes a more all - encompassing presence.
- From one end to the other
- This phrase is a more explicit way of expressing the movement - related meaning of “through.” For example, “The wire ran from one end to the other of the building.” It is a bit more cumbersome than “through” but can be used to add emphasis on the endpoints of the movement.