throw weight

or throw·weight

[ throh weyt ]

noun

1. the lifting power, or payload maximum, of a ballistic missile exclusive of the weight of the rocket itself, and including the weight of the warhead or warheads and of guidance and penetration systems; ballistic delivery power:

   larger Russian missiles with a throw weight of up to 20 megatons.

throw weight

noun

1. the maximum weight of supplementary mechanisms that can be lifted by the boost stages of a particular missile

throw-weight

1. The size of the nuclear warhead or set of warheads that a missile, such as a ballistic missile, can carry. A nation might make up for the inaccuracy of its missiles by increasing their throw-weight.

Word History and Origins

Origin of throw weight¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

“This is a very tough and very emotional issue, so there’s some different points of view. I get it. But if you look at where the throw weight is, there is a significant bipartisan majority.”

From Washington Times

"I guess. But I'm really for American and I just think that our interest is in counterbalancing the actual threat, which is China. And the only other country with any throw weight that might help us do that is Russia. And our continuation of the Cold War has pushed Russia toward China, and that does not serve our interests in any way. Does it?"

From Salon

In addition to condemning voting proposals in dozens of states, activists want companies to testify in front of legislators, withdraw financial support from lawmakers who support them, and throw weight behind federal election reform legislation.

From Washington Post

As long as there are enough amateur investors to throw weight around, they can decide whether a stock moves up or down.

From Slate

U.S. politics has never seen such financial throw weight in a presidential campaign.

From Washington Post