Throes are violent pangs, especially at the end of something. Death throes, in the throes of, the throes of change.
The word is always plural and it survives almost entirely in in the throes of, meaning in the middle of something violent or difficult. Death throes is the literal source. Note the spelling against throws, which sounds identical and means something else entirely.
1nounthroesViolent pangs, especially at the end of something.
“The country was in the throes of a civil war.”
throes is violent pangs.