Can you explain what "throw in" means here ,thank you in advance : )
The context basically is that working at home has quite a few advantages,

such as saving time, having healthier snacks to eat and having your dog hugging (1)at your feet .

"(2)Throw in a little Facebook,Twitter, etc. We are on all the time!"

Q(1): Should there be a preposition 'at' and why?

Q(2): What does 'throw in' mean in that sentence?

Thanks for your help!

Question

Can you explain what "throw in" means here ,thank you in advance : )
The context basically is that working at home has quite a few advantages,

such as saving time, having healthier snacks to eat and having your dog hugging (1)at your feet .

"(2)Throw in a little Facebook,Twitter, etc. We are on all the time!"

Q(1):  Should there be a preposition 'at' and why?

Q(2):  What does 'throw in' mean in that sentence?

Thanks for your help!

Answer

Hi there

Q1 - In your example, the writer is using the preposition 'at' as a preposition of activity. However, the phrase "hugging at your feet" is a little odd. A "hug" is not normally something you can receive from a dog because a dog does not have arms. You can hug it, but it cannot hug you. The most common phrase to describe having a dog nearby is just "having a dog at your feet". In this example 'at' is a preposition of place.

Q.2 - "Throw in" in this context is a phrasal verb which is a synonym for 'add'. It is often used for the idea of adding something extra in a fairly casual way.

Hope this helps :-)

Chris