tɔs v. & n. --v. 1 tr.
throw up (a ball etc.)
esp.
with the hand. 2 tr. & intr.
roll about, throw, or be thrown, restlessly or
from side to side (the
ship tossed on the
ocean;
was tossing and turning all night; tossed
her head angrily). 3 tr. (usu. foll. by
to,
away,
aside,
out, etc.) throw (a thing)
lightly or carelessly (tossed the
letter away). 4 tr. a throw (a coin)
into the
air to
decide a
choice etc. by the side on
which it lands. b (also absol.;
often foll. by for) settle a
question or
dispute with (a person) in
this way (tossed
him for the
armchair; tossed for it). 5 tr. a (of a bull etc.) throw (a
person etc.) up with the horns. b (of a
horse etc.) throw (a rider)
off its back. 6 tr.
coat (food) with
dressing etc. by shaking. 7 tr. bandy about in
debate;
discuss (tossed the question back and forth). --n. 1 the
act or an
instance of tossing (a
coin, the head, etc.). 2
Brit. a
fall, esp. from a horse. øtoss one's head throw it back esp. in
anger, impatience, etc. tossing the
caber the
Scottish sport of throwing a tree-trunk. toss oars
raise oars to an
upright position in
salute. toss off 1
drink off at a
draught. 2
dispatch (work) rapidly or
without effort (tossed off an omelette). 3 Brit.
coarse sl.
masturbate. °Usually considered a
taboo use in
sense 3. toss a
pancake throw it up so
that it flips on to the
other side in the frying-pan. toss up toss a coin to decide a choice etc. toss-up n. 1 a
doubtful matter; a close
thing (it's a toss-up
whether he wins). 2 the tossing of a coin. [16th
c.: orig. unkn.]