toss
Forms
- Plural
- tosses
- present (v1)
- toss
- past (v2)
- tossed
- past participle (v3)
- tossed
- present participle
- tossing
- 3rd person singular
- tosses
Definitions
1.A throw, a lob, of a ball etc., with an initial upward direction, particularly with a lack of care.
2.A haughty throwing up of the head.
3.Concern or consideration.(slang)
- I don't give a toss about her.
4.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.
1.To throw with an initial upward direction.
2.To lift with a sudden or violent motion.
- "Over the bender," said Wisp, with a laugh, tossing his thumb over his left shoulder as he spoke.
3.To agitate; to make restless.
4.To subject to trials; to harass.
- Whom devils fly, thus is he tossed of men.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2685
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Synonyms
Etymology
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”).