Definitions and meaning of toss
toss
English
Etymology
From Middle English tossen (“to buffet about, agitate, toss; to sift or winnow”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Old Norse (compare dialectal Norwegian tossa, dialectal Swedish tossa (“to strew, spread”)), or perhaps from an alteration of Middle English tosen (“to tease, pull apart, shred; to wound, injure”). Compare also Dutch tassen (“to pile or heap up, stack”).
The Welsh tos (“a quick jerk”) and tosio (“to jerk, toss”) are probably borrowed from the English.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /tɒs/
- (General American) IPA(key): /tɔs/
- (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /tɑs/
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- Rhymes: -ɒs
Noun
toss (plural tosses)
- A throw, a lob, of a ball etc., with an initial upward direction, particularly with a lack of care.
- (cricket, soccer) The coin toss before a cricket match in order to decide who bats first, or before a football match in order to decide the direction of play.
- A haughty throwing up of the head.
- (British slang, chiefly in the negative) Concern or consideration.
- (British slang) A state of agitation; commotion.
- (Billingsgate Fish Market slang) A measure of sprats.
- (broadcasting) A handover from one presenter to another, announced by the first presenter.
- 2003, Dennis Hart, Monitor (Take 2) (page 87)
- The introduction would still be done by the Monitor host in New York's Studio 5B, followed by the toss to the newsperson in Washington.
- (UK, slang) Nonsense.
- (UK, vulgar) An act of masturbation
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
toss (third-person singular simple present tosses, present participle tossing, simple past and past participle tossed or (obsolete) tost)
- To throw with an initial upward direction.
- Synonyms: chuck, fling; see also Thesaurus:throw
- To lift with a sudden or violent motion.
- To agitate; to make restless.
- Synonyms: perturb, provoke, vex
- To subject to trials; to harass.
- Synonyms: beleaguer, beset, pester
- To flip a coin, to decide a point of contention.
- (informal, transitive) To discard; to throw away.
- Synonyms: toss out, throw out; see also Thesaurus:junk
- To stir or mix (a salad).
- (UK, slang) To masturbate.
- Synonyms: wank; see also Thesaurus:masturbate
- (transitive, informal) To search (a room or a cell), sometimes leaving visible disorder, as for valuables or evidence of a crime.
- (intransitive) To roll and tumble; to be in violent commotion.
- Synonym: welter
- (intransitive) To be tossed, as a fleet on the ocean, or as a ship in heavy seas.
- Synonyms: bucket about, uptoss
- (obsolete) To keep in play; to tumble over.
- (rowing) To peak (the oars), to lift them from the rowlocks and hold them perpendicularly, the handle resting on the bottom of the boat.
- (UK, slang) To drink in large draughts; to gulp.
- Synonyms: chug, guzzle; see also Thesaurus:drink
- (slang, usually as "toss one's cookies") To vomit.
- Synonyms: chuck, hurl; see also Thesaurus:regurgitate
Derived terms
Translations
Anagrams
Source: wiktionary.org