toss

[ taws, tos ]

/ tɔs, tɒs /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR toss ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), tossed or (Literary) tost; toss·ing.

to throw, pitch, or fling, especially to throw lightly or carelessly: to toss a piece of paper into the wastebasket.

to throw or send from one to another, as in play: to toss a ball.

to throw or pitch with irregular or careless motions; fling or jerk about: The ship was tossed by waves.

to agitate, disturb, or disquiet.

to throw, raise, or jerk upward suddenly: She tossed her head disdainfully.

to speak or express in a sudden offhand manner; interject: He tossed jokes into their serious discussion.

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

to toss a coin with (someone).

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

verb (used without object), tossed or (Literary) tost; toss·ing.

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

to fling or jerk oneself or move restlessly about, especially on a bed or couch: to toss in one's sleep.

to throw something.

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

to go with a fling of the body: to toss out of a room in a fit of anger.

noun

an act or instance of tossing.

a pitching about or up and down.

a throw or pitch.

tossup(def 1).

the distance to which something is or may be thrown.

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

Verb Phrases

toss off,

to accomplish quickly or easily.
to consume rapidly, especially to drink something up in one swallow: He tossed off a cocktail before dinner.
British Slang. to masturbate.

toss up, Informal. to vomit.

Nearby words

tosca, toscana, toscanini, toscanini, arturo, tosh, toss, toss off, toss one's cookies, toss up, toss-up, tossed salad

Idioms

toss one's cookies, Slang. cookie(def 7).

Origin of toss

First recorded in 1595–1605; origin uncertain

SYNONYMS FOR toss

1 See throw.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR toss ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formstoss·er, nountoss·ing·ly, adverbun·tossed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for toss

Add olive oil to the pan and toss in the garlic and chili flake.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries|Carla Hall|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Toss the string beans and mesclun with enough dressing to moisten.
The Barefoot Contessa’s Tasty Trip to Paris|Ina Garten|November 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Toss in Republican National Committee head Reince Priebus and his Democratic counterpart, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, too.
Why D.C. Wants an Election About Nothing|Nick Gillespie|October 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But when the children are from a foreign place and show up uninvited, we toss compassion and decency out the window?
Give the ‘Border Kids’ Dignity. Now.|Ruben Navarrette Jr.|June 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The strategy is always the same: toss irrelevant mud on the offending argument—“he got his picture from Cracked.com.”
The Crazy Way Creationists Try To Explain Human Tails Without Evolution|Karl W. Giberson|June 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"Dunno ez I want ye now," she returned, with a toss of her head.
Frank Merriwell Down South|Burt L. Standish
So light was our top hamper and so steady was the drag astern that we appeared to toss but little in the seas.
In Search of Mademoiselle|George Gibbs
He mustn't be allowed to toss around, for that would start internal bleeding.
Ted Strong in Montana|Edward C. Taylor
It was not long before Macdonald began to toss and mutter in his sleep, breaking forth now and then into wild cries and curses.
The Man From Glengarry|Ralph Connor
Toss to mix thoroughly and then serve on individual salad plates.
Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book|Mary A. Wilson

British Dictionary definitions for toss

toss

/ (tɒs) /

verb

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

to fling or be flung about, esp constantly or regularly in an agitated or violent waya ship tosses in a storm

to discuss or put forward for discussion in an informal way

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

(tr) (of an animal) to butt with the head or the horns and throw into the airthe bull tossed the matador

(tr) to shake, agitate, or disturb

to toss up a coin with (someone) in order to decide or allot somethingI'll toss you for it; let's toss for it

(intr) to move away angrily or impatientlyshe tossed out of the room

noun

an abrupt movement

a rolling or pitching motion

the act or an instance of tossing

the act of tossing up a coinSee toss up (def. 1)

a fall from a horse or other animal

argue the toss to wrangle or dispute at length

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

Word Origin for toss

C16: of Scandinavian origin; related to Norwegian, Swedish tossa to strew

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with toss

toss

In addition to the idioms beginning with toss

toss off
toss one's cookies

also see:

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

toss

verb (used with object), tossed or (Literary) tost; toss·ing.

verb (used without object), tossed or (Literary) tost; toss·ing.

noun

Verb Phrases

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of toss

Examples from the Web for toss

British Dictionary definitions for toss

toss

verb

noun

Word Origin for toss

Idioms and Phrases with toss

toss