toss
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.
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.
an act or instance of tossing.
a pitching about or up and down.
a throw or pitch.
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.
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.
Idioms about toss
toss one's cookies, Slang. cookie (def. 8).
toss one's hat in the ring. hat (def. 8).
Origin of toss
1synonym study For toss
Other words from toss
- tosser, noun
- toss·ing·ly, adverb
- un·tossed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use toss in a sentence
Then Ziegler tosses the buff LaBeouf around like a rag doll.
Sia and Shia LaBeouf’s Pedophilia Nontroversy Over ‘Elastic Heart’ | Marlow Stern | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBut his poor showing is not for lack of trying, and the red meat he now tosses to the base is at least of a novel variety.
Before Shawn finishes his recorded message, Lassiter ejects the DVD, snaps it in half, and tosses it in the trash.
I Watched ‘Psych’ For 8 Years and All I Got Was This Lackluster Finale | Chancellor Agard | March 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTFor good measure, he tosses in an unfortunate BUSBOY that happened to overhear the conversation.
Frank Underwood Will Not Tolerate Insubordination in This Olive Garden | Kelly Williams Brown | February 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThis season, he was even better, with 33 TD tosses and 13 pickoffs, averaging 9.5 yards/throw.
The Heisman ‘Bad Boys’: Jameis Winston, Johnny Manziel, and Who Should Really Win | Allen Barra | December 14, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
He is shining black, and as he tosses his head one can see the wicked horns, capable of doing such terrible injury.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin | Mary Hazelton WadeYou know how that child tosses and kicks about in the night.
The Sleeping Car | William D. HowellsThe violent throbbings of her heart could be seen undulating the long hair as the moaning sea tosses the rockweed.
The Minister's Wooing | Harriet Beecher StoweUp flies his rapier idly—she with a sudden flip tosses it higher still, and with a leap, by Gox!
Tales of Northumbria | Howard PeaseSmall fish he usually tosses up in the air, catches them neatly head first, and swallows them whole.
On the Seashore | R. Cadwallader Smith
British Dictionary definitions for toss
/ (tɒs) /
(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 way: a 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 air: the bull tossed the matador
(tr) to shake, agitate, or disturb
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
(intr) to move away angrily or impatiently: she tossed out of the room
an abrupt movement
a rolling or pitching motion
the act or an instance of tossing
the act of tossing up a coin: See 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)
Origin of toss
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with 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
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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