toss

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A throw, a lob, of a ball etc., with an initial upward direction, particularly with a lack of care.
2. (countable, uncountable) 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.
3. (countable, uncountable) A haughty throwing up of the head.
4. (British, countable, slang, uncountable) Concern or consideration.
5. (British, countable, slang, uncountable) A state of agitation; commotion.
6. (countable, uncountable) A measure of sprats.
7. (countable, uncountable) A handover from one presenter to another, announced by the first presenter.
8. (UK, slang, uncountable) Nonsense; drivel.
9. (UK, countable, uncountable, vulgar) An act of masturbation.

Verb

1. To throw with an initial upward direction.
2. To lift with a sudden or violent motion.
3. To agitate; to make restless.
4. To subject to trials; to harass.
5. To flip a coin, to decide a point of contention.
6. (informal, transitive) To discard; to throw away.
7. To stir or mix (a salad).
8. (UK, slang) To masturbate.
9. (informal, transitive) To search (a room or a cell), sometimes leaving visible disorder, as for valuables or evidence of a crime.
10. (intransitive) To roll and tumble; to be in violent commotion.
11. (intransitive) To be tossed, as a fleet on the ocean, or as a ship in heavy seas.
12. (obsolete) To keep in play; to tumble over.
13. To peak (the oars), to lift them from the rowlocks and hold them perpendicularly, the handle resting on the bottom of the boat.
14. (UK, slang) To drink in large draughts; to gulp.
15. (slang, usually) To vomit.

Synonyms

throw

cast

fling

pitch

discard

hurl

flip

chuck

throw away

shake

🫨

heave

jolt

thrash

launch

wave

👋

sling

bump

jerk

throw out

cast aside

cowry

sky

thresh

stir

put away

chuck out

shy

sprinkle

slash

dispose

pass

toss away

thrash about

jactitate

scatter

project

thresh about

cast away

convulse

flick

toss out

concussion

stir up

spit

shock

⚡

shaking

🫨

shoot

throwing

rock

🪨

push up

Translations

jeter

lanzar

werfen

echar

gooien

tirar

lançar

arremessar

atmak

werpen

llençar

schleudern

gettare

atirar

Pronounced as (IPA)

/tɒs/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: tossen

Cognate with Norwegian: tossa

Cognate with Swedish: tossa

Inherited from Middle English: tosen

Cognate with Dutch: tassen

In summary

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.

Sentences

Let's toss a coin .