I. toss 1 /tɒs $ tɒːs/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: Probably from a Scandinavian language ]
1 . [transitive] to throw something, especially something light, with a quick gentle movement of your hand
toss something into/onto etc something
She crumpled the letter and tossed it into the fire.
toss something aside/over etc
Toss that book over, will you?
toss something to somebody
‘Catch!’ said Sandra, tossing her bag to him.
toss somebody something
Frank tossed her the newspaper.
2 . [intransitive and transitive] to move about continuously in a violent or uncontrolled way, or to make something do this
toss something 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 . [intransitive and transitive] ( also toss up ) especially British English 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 SYN flip American English :
They tossed a coin to decide who would go first.
toss (somebody) for it
We couldn’t make up our minds, so we decided to toss for it.
5 . [transitive] 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 British English to throw a ↑ pancake upwards so that it turns over in the air and lands on the side that you want to cook SYN flip American English
7 . [transitive] 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 phrasal verb
1 . toss something ↔ 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 something ↔ off written to drink something quickly:
He tossed off a few whiskies.
3 . toss (somebody) off British English informal not polite to ↑ masturbate
toss something/somebody ↔ out phrasal verb American English informal
1 . to get rid of something that you do not want SYN throw out :
I tossed most of that stuff out when we moved.
2 . to make someone leave a place, especially because of bad behaviour SYN throw out
toss something/somebody ↔ out of
Kurt was tossed out of the club for trying to start a fight.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ throw to make something such as a ball or stone move quickly through the air using your hand:
I threw the ball back to him.
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Protestors began throwing stones at the police.
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I just threw the letter in the bin.
▪ toss ( also chuck ) informal to throw something, especially in a careless way without using much effort:
She tossed her coat onto the bed.
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Can you chuck me the remote control?
▪ hurl to throw something with a lot of force:
Someone hurled a brick through his window.
▪ fling to angrily throw something somewhere with a lot of force, or to carelessly throw something somewhere because you have very little time:
He flung her keys into the river.
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I flung a few things into a suitcase.
▪ heave /hiːv/ to throw something heavy using a lot of effort:
They heaved the log into the river.
▪ lob to throw something high into the air over someone or something:
The police lobbed tear gas canisters over the heads of the demonstrators.
II. toss 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
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 British English spoken to not care about something at all:
I really couldn’t give a toss what Sam thinks.
⇨ argue the toss at ↑ argue (5)