I. ˈtȯs, ˈtäs verb
( tossed or archaic tost -st ; tossed or archaic tost ; tossing ; tosses )
Etymology: probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect tossa to spread, scatter
transitive verb
1.
a. : to cause to rise and fall : throw around : heave , tumble
storm- tossed sea
waves from a passing steamer toss the small boats
tossed wildly on the rain came flocks of starlings — J.C.Powys
b. : to throw aloft : propel upward : cast , flip
tossed her up and caught her — Winifred Bambrick
missed his footing and was tossed by the bull
especially : match 5a
I'll toss you for it
c. : to drive involuntarily : buffet , shunt
tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine — Eph 4:14 (Revised Standard Version)
had begun life in poverty … tossed about from one relative to another — Gamaliel Bradford
2.
a. : to make uneasy : disquiet , disturb
saintly aid to … the sin- tossed soul — H.O.Taylor
b. : to discuss or canvass exhaustively : bandy , debate
various figures … were tossed around in conversation with tribal leaders — New Republic
her brain was a steam-wheel … everything that could be thought of was tossed, nothing grasped — George Meredith
c. : to cause to shake : agitate , vibrate
trees toss their branches in the stiff breeze
d. : to stir up : concoct , prepare
got … a hot supper, tossing it up herself — Clemence Dane
especially : to mix lightly usually with a fork and spoon until well coated with a dressing
toss a salad
toss carrots in butter
3.
a. : to tilt suddenly or steeply so as to drain
tossed his glass to his mouth, finished his drink — James Joyce
b. : to raise in a flourish or salute : brandish , peak
more fit … to lift a pitchfork than to toss a pike — William Gouge
— used chiefly in the phrase toss oars
c. : to elevate in a proud or spirited manner
tossed her head angrily
toss up your nose at obscure people — Christopher Smart
4.
a. : to throw with force : fling , hurl
has been tossed into jail and convicted of libel — J.A.Morris b. 1904
the challenge is tossed to the new president — Patrick McMahon
Vesuvius … tosses out glowing bombs — Howel Williams
b.
(1) : to throw gently often with an underhand motion : convey lightly : chuck , flick
toss a ball to and fro
toss peppermint sticks to … children — American Guide Series: Louisiana
(2) : to utter or include in an offhand manner : introduce casually : interject
the book has its … quota of gaily tossed metaphors — Rex Lardner
for what it may be worth, I toss in … a very minor statistic — Agnes Rogers
tossing off carefree farewells to shipboard friends — LaSelle Gilman
criticism, tossed off … in the most marginal way — F.R.Leavis
c. : to dispose of : consume , swallow
tosses down a lemonade — J.A.Michener
raised her glass to her mouth and tossed it off — Encore
usually tossed off half a dozen papers with his morning coffee — Edith Wharton
d. : to get rid of : discard , jettison
toss out the garbage
the horse tossed his rider
tossed away $90,000 in film contracts to spend eighteen months on the novel — J.K.Hutchens
would you rather toss the evening and just go home now — Nicholas Monsarrat
e. : to put on carelessly or hurriedly
tossing on my bathrobe, I would run to the kitchen — Marjorie Housepian
f. : to provide or turn out casually : execute in an apparently effortless manner
tosses off science fiction as a by-product of his rocket research
she can toss off roulades and staccati … and other vocal acrobatics — Irving Kolodin
his mind tossed up scheme after scheme — Lucien Price
a monster cocktail party and buffet supper will be tossed in honor of former employees — Bennett Cerf
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to move restlessly : exhibit agitation or turbulence
black water … swirled and tossed over the ugly heads of jutting rocks — T.B.Costain
his sentences pitched and tossed on a surging sea of righteous indignation — Horizon
especially : to twist and turn repeatedly
tossed on their pillows worrying about their younger son — Josephine Pinckney
b. : to move jerkily or spasmodically : flounce , sway
tossed out of the room … in one of her flighty humors — W.M.Thackeray
the engine is tossing a little as she takes one reverse curve after another — O.S.Nock
c. : to mix together with a dressing
tomato wedges … and diced chicken go in a lettuce-lined salad bowl — ready to toss — Better Homes & Gardens
2. : to decide an issue by lot especially by the toss of a coin
the skippers tossed and ours lost — Dal Stivens
3. : to serve a handball
Synonyms: see throw
II. noun
( -es )
1. archaic
a. : an act or instance of heaving or shaking : tossing
the little boat … pitches now with shorter toss upon the narrower swell — Robert Southey
b. : a state of agitation : turmoil
Boston is in a great toss … about Dr. Channing and the abolitionists — H.W.Longfellow
2.
a. : an act or instance of propelling through the air : pitch , throw
after a few warm-up tosses … put the shot 63 feet 6 inches — Newsweek
put the Indians in front with a 5-yard run after catching a 10-yard toss — New York Times
b. : an abrupt tilting or upward fling
an almost disdainful toss of the head — T.G.Henderson
with a toss of a hand … issues half a dozen birthday pronouncements — Barbara B. Jamison
3. : an act or instance of deciding by lot and especially by flipping a coin
choice of sides … shall be decided by toss — Official Lawn Tennis Guide
— called also toss-up
4. : an act or instance of being thrown or jettisoned : defeat , tumble
took a toss into a hole and … broke his leg — John Buchan
diplomat … takes a professional toss — Eric Keown
III. ˈtäs noun
( -es )
Etymology: by alteration
Scotland : toast 1a