Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense tosses, present participle tossing, past tense, past participle tossed
1. verb
If you toss something somewhere, you throw it there lightly, often in a rather careless way.
He screwed the paper into a ball and tossed it into the fire. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
He tossed his blanket aside and got up. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
He tossed Malone a bottle of water, and took one himself. [VERB noun noun]
Synonyms: throw, pitch, hurl, fling More Synonyms of toss
2. verb
If you toss your head or toss your hair, you move your head backwards, quickly and suddenly, often as a way of expressing an emotion such as anger or contempt.
'I'm sure I don't know.' Cook tossed her head. [VERB noun]
Gasping, she tossed her hair out of her face. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: throw back, jerk, jolt More Synonyms of toss
Toss is also a noun.
With a toss of his head and a few hard gulps, Bob finished the last of his coffee. [+ of]
3. verb
In sports and informal situations, if you decide something by tossing a coin, you spin a coin into the air and guess which side of the coin will face upwards when it lands.
We tossed a coin to decide who would go out and buy the buns. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: flip, spin, flick More Synonyms of toss
Toss is also a noun.
It would be better to decide it on the toss of a coin. [+ of]
4. singular noun
The toss is a way of deciding something, such as who is going to go first in a game, that consists of spinning a coin into the air and guessing which side of the coin will face upwards when itlands.
Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bat first.
Synonyms: throw, cast, pitch, shy More Synonyms of toss
5. verb
If something such as the wind or sea tosses an object, it causes it to move from side to side or up and down.
[literary]
The seas grew turbulent, tossing the small boat like a cork. [VERB noun]
As the plane was tossed up and down, the pilot tried to stabilise it. [beVERB-ed adverb/preposition]
Synonyms: heave, labour, rock, roll More Synonyms of toss
6. verb
If you toss food while preparing it, you put pieces of it into a liquid and lightly shake them so that they become covered with the liquid.
Do not toss the salad until you're ready to serve. [VERB noun]
Add the grated orange rind and toss the apple slices in the mixture. [VERB noun + in]
Serve straight from the dish with a tossed green salad. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: shake, turn, mix, stir More Synonyms of toss
7. See also toss-up
8.
See to argue the toss
9.
See give a toss
10.
See toss and turn
More Synonyms of toss
toss in British English
(tɒs)
verb
1. (transitive)
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. (transitive)
(of an animal such as a horse) to throw (its rider)
5. (transitive)
(of an animal) to butt with the head or the horns and throw into the air
the bull tossed the matador
6. (transitive)
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. (intransitive)
to move away angrily or impatiently
she tossed out of the room
noun
9.
an abrupt movement
10.
a rolling or pitching motion
11.
the act or an instance of tossing
12.
the act of tossing up a coin
toss up (sense 1)
13.
a fall from a horse or other animal
14. argue the toss
15. give a toss
Word origin
C16: of Scandinavian origin; related to Norwegian, Swedish tossa to strew
toss in American English
(tɔs; tɑs)
verb transitive
1.
to throw or pitch about; fling here and there; buffet
a boat tossed by a storm
2. US
to mix lightly the parts or ingredients of (esp. a salad)
3.
to disturb; agitate; disquiet
4.
to throw (in various senses); specif., to throw upward, lightly and easily, from the hand
5.
to throw in or bandy (ideas, remarks, etc.)
6.
to lift quickly; jerk upward
tossing her head in disdain
7.
to toss up with (someone for something)
see phrase below
verb intransitive
8.
to be flung to and fro; be thrown about or pitched about
9.
to fling oneself about in sleep, etc.; be restless in bed
10.
to move or go impatiently, angrily, or disdainfully, as with a toss of the head
11.
to toss up
see phrase below
noun
12.
a tossing or being tossed; a throw, fling, pitch, etc.
13.
tossup (sense 1)
14.
the distance that something is or can be tossed
SIMILAR WORDS: throw
Idioms:
toss off
toss up
Derived forms
tosser (ˈtosser)
noun
Word origin
prob. < Scand, as in Norw dial. tossa, to spread, strew; akin to MLowG tōsen, to tear, ME (to)tusen, to pull to pieces < IE base *dā(i)-, to part, tear > tease
More idioms containing
toss
argue the toss
not give a toss about something
Examples of 'toss' in a sentence
toss
Now and again she tosses her hair.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
On the first tee yesterday, they tossed a coin to see who would hit the opening shot.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He has been tossed about in the economic storm and seems to steer no clear course.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
She has sliced your hearts upon her platter and tossed them carelessly away.
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss THE WOLF AND THE DOVE
She was tossed into the air but suffered only minor injuries.
The Sun (2015)
The stallion tossed its head and snorted in a scatter of foam.
Kerr, Katharine A Time of War (1993)
The heads of at least a dozen resistance fighters and soldiers had been tossed to one side.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Spend any time in her company and familiar first names are tossed into conversation.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
But he just tossed it away and laughed.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Another saw him being tossed into the air.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Their beards and hair were tossed and dirty.
Christianity Today (2000)
At the end of each week a coin is tossed.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
In other languages
toss
British English: toss /tɒs/ VERB
If you toss something somewhere, you throw it there lightly and carelessly.
She tossed her suitcase onto one of the beds.
American English: toss
Arabic: يَقْذِفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: atirar
Chinese: 掷
Croatian: baciti
Czech: hodit
Danish: kaste
Dutch: slingeren
European Spanish: voltear
Finnish: viskata
French: ballotter
German: werfen Münze werfen
Greek: ρίχνω
Italian: gettare
Japanese: 軽く投げる
Korean: 가볍게 던지다
Norwegian: slenge
Polish: podrzucić
European Portuguese: atirar
Romanian: a arunca
Russian: бросать
Latin American Spanish: voltear
Swedish: slänga
Thai: โยนเหรียญ
Turkish: atmak
Ukrainian: кидати
Vietnamese: quăng nhẹ
All related terms of 'toss'
toss up
If you say that it is a toss-up whether one thing will happen or another thing will happen, you mean that either result seems equally likely .
full toss
a bowled ball that reaches the batsman without bouncing
toss off
to perform, write, consume , etc, quickly and easily
charity toss
a free shot given as a penalty for a foul
give a toss
If you say that you do not give a toss about someone or something, you are emphasizing that you do not care about them at all.
argue the toss
to waste your time by arguing about something which is not important or which cannot be changed
pitch-and-toss
a game of skill and chance in which the player who pitches a coin nearest to a mark has the first chance to toss all the coins, winning those that land heads up
toss and turn
If you toss and turn , you keep moving around in bed and cannot sleep properly, for example because you are ill or worried .
it's a toss-up
said to mean that two or more courses of action seem equally likely to succeed or fail , or that two or more things are equally likely to happen
toss one's cookies
to vomit ; throw up
to argue the toss
If you say that someone argues the toss , you are criticizing them for continuing to argue for longer than is necessary about something that is not very important.
not give a toss about something
to not care at all about something
throw in the sponge
to admit defeat ; give up: from the practice by a boxer's second of throwing a sponge into the ring to concede defeat
throw in the towel
to stop trying to do something, because you know that you cannot succeed
throw on the scrapheap
to discard or get rid of as useless
throw one's hat in the ring
to announce one's intentions to be a candidate or contestant
Chinese translation of 'toss'
toss
(tɔs)
vt
扔 (rēng)
[wind, sea][boat etc]使颠(顛)簸 (shǐ diānbǒ)
[salad]拌 (bàn)
[pancake]抛(拋)起使翻转(轉) (pāoqǐ shǐ fānzhuǎn)
n
with a toss of her head她把头(頭)往后(後)一仰 (tā bǎ tóu wǎng hòu yī yǎng)
to decide sth by the toss of a coin抛(拋)硬币(幣)决(決)定某事 (pāo yìngbì juédìng mǒushì)
to toss a coin掷(擲)硬币(幣) (zhì yìngbì)
to toss one's head一摆(擺)头(頭) (yī bǎi tóu)
to win/lose the toss (Sport) 掷(擲)硬币(幣)占(佔)上风(風)/落下风(風) (zhì yìngbì zhàn shàngfēng/luò xiàfēng)
I don't give a toss (Brit, inf) 我不在乎 (wǒ bù zàihu)
to toss and turn (in bed) 辗(輾)转(轉)反侧(側) (zhǎnzhuǎn fǎn cè)
All related terms of 'toss'
toss up
掷(擲)硬币(幣)决(決)定 zhì yìngbì juédìng
to toss a coin
掷(擲)硬币(幣) zhì yìngbì
to toss and turn
( in bed ) 辗(輾)转(轉)反侧(側) zhǎnzhuǎn fǎn cè
to toss one's head
一摆(擺)头(頭) yī bǎi tóu
I don't give a toss
( Brit : inf ) 我不在乎 wǒ bù zàihu
to win/lose the toss
( Sport ) 掷(擲)硬币(幣)占(佔)上风(風)/落下风(風) zhì yìngbì zhàn shàngfēng/luò xiàfēng
with a toss of her head
她把头(頭)往后(後)一仰 tā bǎ tóu wǎng hòu yī yǎng
to decide sth by the toss of a coin
抛(拋)硬币(幣)决(決)定某事 pāo yìngbì juédìng mǒushì
1 (verb)
Definition
to throw (something) lightly
He screwed the paper up and tossed it into the fire.
Synonyms
throw
He spent hours throwing a tennis ball against a wall.
pitch
Simon pitched the ball across the field.
hurl
Groups of rioters hurled stones at police.
fling
I flung the book on the table and stormed out.
project
The hardware can be used for projecting nuclear missiles.
launch
He launched himself into the air.
cast
She took a pebble and cast it into the water.
shy
chuck (informal)
Someone chucked a bottle at the stage.
flip
propel
sling (informal)
She slung her coat over the desk chair.
lob (informal)
The protestors were chanting and lobbing firebombs.
2 (verb)
Definition
to move (one's head) suddenly backwards, as in impatience
Gasping, she tossed her hair out of her face.
Synonyms
throw back
jerk
The car jerked to a halt.
jolt
The train jolted into motion.
3 (verb)
Definition
to throw up (a coin) to decide between alternatives by guessing which side will land uppermost
We tossed a coin to decide who would go out and buy buns.
Synonyms
flip
I flipped a cigarette butt out of the window.
spin
flick
She flicked a speck of fluff from her sleeve.
4 (verb)
Definition
to coat (food) with a dressing by gentle stirring or mixing
Toss the apple slices in the mixture.
Synonyms
shake
Shake the rugs well and hang them out.
turn
mix
stir
The long white curtains stirred in the breeze.
tumble
The dog had tumbled down the cliff.
agitate
Gently agitate the water with a paintbrush.
jiggle
He jiggled the doorknob noisily.
joggle
5 (verb)
Definition
to fling or be flung about, esp. in a violent way
The small boat tossed about in the high seas like a cork.
Synonyms
heave
Heave a brick at the telly.
labour
rock
His body rocked from side to side.
roll
The ship was still rolling in the troughs.
pitch
The ship was pitching and rolling as if in mid-ocean.
lurch
As the car sped over a pothole, she lurched forward.
jolt
wallow
6 (verb)
Definition
to be restless when trying to sleep
I felt as though I'd been tossing and turning all night.
Synonyms
thrash (about)
twitch
His left eyelid twitched involuntarily.
wriggle
The audience were fidgeting and wriggling in their seats.
squirm
He gave a feeble shrug and tried to squirm free.
writhe
He was writhing on the floor in agony.
(noun)
Definition
the act or an instance of tossing
Decisions are almost made with the toss of a die.
Synonyms
throw
One of the judges thought it was a foul throw.
cast
pitch
On the second pitch, Hernandez threw a ball to the backstop.
shy
fling
lob (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of agitate
Definition
to shake or stir (a liquid)
Gently agitate the water with a paintbrush.
Synonyms
stir,
beat,
mix,
shake,
disturb,
toss,
rouse,
churn
in the sense of cast
Definition
to roll or throw (a dice)
She took a pebble and cast it into the water.
Synonyms
throw,
project,
launch,
pitch,
shed,
shy,
toss,
thrust,
hurl,
fling,
chuck (informal),
sling,
lob,
impel,
drive,
drop
in the sense of cast
Synonyms
throw,
toss,
thrust,
fling,
lob
Synonyms of 'toss'
toss
Explore 'toss' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of chuck
Definition
to throw carelessly
Someone chucked a bottle at the stage.
Synonyms
throw,
cast,
pitch,
shy,
toss,
hurl,
fling,
sling (informal),
heave
in the sense of flick
Definition
to touch or move with the finger or hand in a quick jerky movement
She flicked a speck of fluff from her sleeve.
Synonyms
strike,
tap,
jab,
remove quickly,
hit,
touch,
stroke,
rap,
flip,
peck,
whisk,
dab,
fillip
in the sense of fling
Definition
to throw with force
I flung the book on the table and stormed out.
Synonyms
throw,
toss,
hurl,
chuck (informal),
launch,
cast,
pitch,
send,
shy,
jerk,
propel,
sling (informal),
precipitate,
lob (informal),
catapult,
heave,
let fly
in the sense of hurl
Definition
to throw (something) with great force
Groups of rioters hurled stones at police.
Synonyms
throw,
fling,
chuck (informal),
send,
fire,
project,
launch,
cast,
pitch,
shy,
toss,
propel,
sling (informal),
heave,
let fly (with)
in the sense of jerk
Definition
to pull or push (something) abruptly or spasmodically
The car jerked to a halt.
Synonyms
jolt,
bang,
bump,
lurch,
shake
in the sense of jiggle
Definition
to move with quick jerky movements
He jiggled the doorknob noisily.
Synonyms
shake,
jerk,
agitate,
joggle
in the sense of jolt
Definition
to bump against (someone or something) with a sudden violent movement
The train jolted into motion.
Synonyms
jerk,
push,
shake,
knock,
jar,
shove,
jog,
jostle
in the sense of launch
He launched himself into the air.
Synonyms
throw,
fling,
hurtle
in the sense of lob
Definition
to throw
The protestors were chanting and lobbing firebombs.
Synonyms
throw,
launch,
toss,
hurl,
lift,
pitch,
shy (informal),
fling,
loft
in the sense of lurch
Definition
to lean or tilt suddenly to one side
As the car sped over a pothole, she lurched forward.
Synonyms
tilt,
roll,
pitch,
list,
rock,
lean,
heel
Additional synonyms
in the sense of pitch
Definition
to hurl or throw
Simon pitched the ball across the field.
Synonyms
throw,
launch,
cast,
toss,
hurl,
fling,
chuck (informal),
sling,
lob (informal),
bung (British, slang),
heave
in the sense of pitch
Definition
(of a ship or plane) to dip and raise its back and front alternately
The ship was pitching and rolling as if in mid-ocean.
Synonyms
toss (about),
roll,
plunge,
flounder,
lurch,
wallow,
welter,
make heavy weather
in the sense of pitch
Definition
the act or manner of pitching a ball
On the second pitch, Hernandez threw a ball to the backstop.
Synonyms
throw,
cast,
delivery,
toss,
hurl,
lob
in the sense of project
Definition
to cause (an image) to appear on a surface
The hardware can be used for projecting nuclear missiles.
Synonyms
launch,
shoot,
throw,
cast,
transmit,
discharge,
hurl,
fling,
propel
in the sense of rock
His body rocked from side to side.
Synonyms
sway,
pitch,
swing,
reel,
toss,
lurch,
wobble,
roll
in the sense of roll
Definition
(of a ship or aircraft) to turn from side to side around the longitudinal axis
The ship was still rolling in the troughs.
Synonyms
toss,
rock,
lurch,
reel,
tumble,
sway,
wallow,
billow,
swing,
welter
in the sense of sling
Definition
to throw
She slung her coat over the desk chair.
Synonyms
throw,
cast,
toss,
hurl,
fling,
chuck (informal),
lob (informal),
heave,
shy
in the sense of squirm
Definition
to wriggle
He gave a feeble shrug and tried to squirm free.
Synonyms
wriggle,
twist,
writhe,
shift,
flounder,
wiggle,
fidget
in the sense of stir
The long white curtains stirred in the breeze.
Synonyms
flutter,
tremble,
quiver,
shake,
rustle
in the sense of tumble
Definition
to fall or cause to fall, esp. awkwardly or violently
The dog had tumbled down the cliff.
Synonyms
fall,
drop,
topple,
plummet,
roll,
pitch,
toss,
stumble,
flop,
trip up,
fall head over heels,
fall headlong,
fall end over end
Additional synonyms
in the sense of twitch
Definition
(of a person or part of a person's body) to move in a jerky spasmodic way
His left eyelid twitched involuntarily.
Synonyms
jerk,
blink,
flutter,
jump,
squirm
in the sense of wriggle
Definition
to twist and turn with quick movements
The audience were fidgeting and wriggling in their seats.