toss

Meanings

Noun

• A throw, a lob, of a ball etc., with an initial upward direction, particularly with a lack of care.
• 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.
• A haughty throwing up of the head.
• A jot, in the phrase 'give a toss'.
• A state of agitation; commotion.
• A measure of sprats.

Verb

• To throw with an initial upward direction.
• To lift with a sudden or violent motion.
• To agitate; to make restless.
• To subject to trials; to harass.
• To flip a coin, to decide a point of contention.
• To discard; to throw away.
• To stir or mix (a salad).
• To masturbate
• To search (a room or a cell), sometimes leaving visible disorder, as for valuables or evidence of a crime.
• To roll and tumble; to be in violent commotion.
• To be tossed, as a fleet on the ocean, or as a ship in heavy seas.
• To keep in play; to tumble over.
• To peak (the oars), to lift them from the rowlocks and hold them perpendicularly, the handle resting on the bottom of the boat.
• To drink in large draughts; to gulp.

Origin

• From Middle English tossen, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Old Norse (compare dialectal Norwegian tossa, dialectal Swedish tossa), or perhaps from an alteration of Middle English tosen. Compare also Dutch tassen.
• The Welsh tos and tosio are probably borrowed from the English.