Throw in the towel/sponge

Origin of: Throw in the towel/sponge

Throw in the towel/sponge

To throw in the towel means to give up or admit defeat and dates in this sense from the early 20th century. It derives from boxing where the seconds, a boxer’s corner attendants, would throw a towel or sponge into the ring to indicate their boxer has taken enough punishment and thus admit defeat.