History of North America

What does the cowboy slang through mean?

In cowboy slang, "through" is used to mean "finished" or "completed." It is often used in the phrase "all through," which means "completely finished." For example, a cowboy might say, "I'm all through with this job," to indicate that he is done with it. The word "through" can also be used to refer to a person who has died. In this sense, it is similar to the word "gone." For example, a cowboy might say, "He's gone through," to indicate that someone has died.