toss

American  

[taws, tos] / tɔs, tɒs /

verb (used with object)

tossed tost, tossing

1. to throw, pitch, or fling, especially to throw lightly or carelessly.

   to toss a piece of paper into the wastebasket.

2. to throw or send from one to another, as in play.

   to toss a ball.

3. to throw or pitch with irregular or careless motions; fling or jerk about.

   The ship was tossed by waves.

4. to agitate, disturb, or disquiet.

5. to throw, raise, or jerk upward suddenly.

   She tossed her head disdainfully.

6. to speak or express in a sudden offhand manner; interject.

   He tossed jokes into their serious discussion.

7. to throw (a coin) into the air in order to decide something by the side turned up when it falls (sometimes followed byup ).

8. to toss a coin with (someone).

9. to stir or mix (a salad) lightly until the ingredients are coated with the dressing.

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verb (used without object)

tossed tost, tossing

1. to pitch, rock, sway, or move irregularly, as a ship on a rough sea or a flag or plumes in the breeze.

2. to fling or jerk oneself or move restlessly about, especially on a bed or couch.

   to toss in one's sleep.

3. to throw something.

4. to throw a coin into the air in order to decide something by the way it falls (sometimes followed byup ).

5. to go with a fling of the body.

   to toss out of a room in a fit of anger.

noun

1. an act or instance of tossing.

2. a pitching about or up and down.

3. a throw or pitch.

4. tossup.

5. the distance to which something is or may be thrown.

6. a sudden fling or jerk of the body, especially a quick upward or backward movement of the head.

verb phrase

1. toss up  to vomit.

2. toss off

   1. to accomplish quickly or easily.

   2. to consume rapidly, especially to drink something up in one swallow.

      He tossed off a cocktail before dinner.

   3. British Slang.  to masturbate.

idioms

1. toss one's cookies,  cookie.

2. toss one's hat in the ring.  hat.

toss British  

/ tɒs /

verb

1. (tr) to throw lightly or with a flourish, esp with the palm of the hand upwards

2. to fling or be flung about, esp constantly or regularly in an agitated or violent way

   a ship tosses in a storm

3. to discuss or put forward for discussion in an informal way

4. (tr) (of an animal such as a horse) to throw (its rider)

5. (tr) (of an animal) to butt with the head or the horns and throw into the air

   the bull tossed the matador

6. (tr) to shake, agitate, or disturb

7. to toss up a coin with (someone) in order to decide or allot something

   I'll toss you for it

   let's toss for it

8. (intr) to move away angrily or impatiently

   she tossed out of the room

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noun

1. an abrupt movement

2. a rolling or pitching motion

3. the act or an instance of tossing

4. the act of tossing up a coin See toss up

5. a fall from a horse or other animal

6. to wrangle or dispute at length

7. slang  to be concerned or interested (esp in the phrase not give a toss )

toss More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing toss

• throw (toss) one's hat in the ring
• throw away (toss out)

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Related Words

See throw.

Other Word Forms

• tosser noun
• tossingly adverb
• untossed adjective

Etymology

Origin of toss

First recorded in 1595–1605; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

It led Latham to predict that "it will be no different" to previous Tests at the venue where the team that wins the toss elects to bowl first.

From Barron's

In his absence, longtime Palos Verdes coach Guy Gardner tossed aside the passing game almost entirely and trusted a wildcat offense to keep the Sea Kings in it.

From Los Angeles Times

"It's like giving an old electronic a new battery pack. Instead of tossing them out, we are plugging fully-charged batteries from healthy cells into diseased ones."

From Science Daily

This savory sugo is wonderful tossed with pasta and a handful of herbs.

From The Wall Street Journal

The sprawling racketeering case suffered a death by a thousand cuts - a judge tossed out several of the charges in 2024, and Willis was disqualified a few months later.

From BBC