toss

toss¹ [tɔs US to:s] v

[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Probably from a Scandinavian language]

1.) [T]

to throw something, especially something light, with a quick gentle movement of your hand

toss sth into/onto etc sth

▪ She crumpled the letter and tossed it into the fire.

toss sth aside/over etc

▪ Toss that book over, will you?

toss sth to sb

▪ 'Catch!' said Sandra, tossing her bag to him.

toss sb sth

▪ Frank tossed her the newspaper.

2.) [I and T]

to move about continuously in a violent or uncontrolled way, or to make something do this

toss sth around/about

▪ The small boat was tossed about like a cork.

3.) toss and turn

to keep changing your position in bed because you cannot sleep

▪ I've been tossing and turning all night.

4.) also toss up [I and T]

especially BrE to throw a coin in the air, so that a decision will be made according to the side that faces upwards when it comes down

American Equivalent: flip

▪ They tossed a coin to decide who would go first.

toss (sb) for it

▪ We couldn't make up our minds, so we decided to toss for it.

5.) [T]

to throw something up into the air and let it fall to the ground

▪ The crowd cheered, banging pots and tossing confetti into the air.

6.) toss a pancake

BrE to throw a ↑pancake upwards so that it turns over in the air and lands on the side that you want to cook

American Equivalent: flip

7.) [T]

to move pieces of food about in a small amount of liquid so that they become covered with the liquid

▪ Toss the carrots in some butter before serving.

8.) toss your head/hair

written to move your head or hair back suddenly, often with a shaking movement showing anger

▪ He tossed his head angrily and left the room.

toss off phr v

1.) toss sth<=>off

to produce something quickly and without much effort

▪ one of those painters who can toss off a couple of pictures before breakfast

2.) toss sth<=>off

written to drink something quickly

▪ He tossed off a few whiskies.

3.) toss (sb) off

BrE informal not polite to ↑masturbate

toss out [toss sth/sb<=>out] phr v

1.) to get rid of something that you do not want

▪ I tossed most of that stuff out when we moved.

2.) to make someone leave a place, especially because of bad behaviour

toss something/somebody<=>out of

▪ Kurt was tossed out of the club for trying to start a fight.

toss ²

toss² n

1.) the act of throwing a coin in the air to decide something, especially who will do something first in a game

▪ The toss of a coin decided who would go first.

win/lose the toss

▪ Malory won the toss and will serve.

2.) a sudden backwards movement of your head, so that your hair moves, often showing anger

▪ 'I'll see,' the nurse said, with an officious toss of her head .

3.) a gentle throw

4.) not give a toss

BrE spoken to not care about something at all

▪ I really couldn't give a toss what Sam thinks.

→argue the toss at ↑argue