toss
Pronunciation: (tôs, tos), [key]
— v., n. tossed tost toss&syling
—v.t.
- to throw, pitch, or fling, esp. to throw lightly or carelessly: to toss a piece of paper into the wastebasket.
- to throw or send from one to another, as in play: to toss a ball.
- to throw or pitch with irregular or careless motions; fling or jerk about: The ship was tossed by waves.
- to agitate, disturb, or disquiet.
- to throw, raise, or jerk upward suddenly: She tossed her head disdainfully.
- to speak or express in a sudden offhand manner; interject: He tossed jokes into their serious discussion.
- to throw (a coin) into the air in order to decide something by the side turned up when it falls (sometimes fol. by up).
- to toss a coin with (someone).
- to stir or mix (a salad) lightly until the ingredients are coated with the dressing.
—v.i.
- to pitch, rock, sway, or move irregularly, as a ship on a rough sea or a flag or plumes in the breeze.
- to fling or jerk oneself or move restlessly about, esp. on a bed or couch: to toss in one's sleep.
- to throw something.
- to throw a coin into the air in order to decide something by the way it falls (sometimes fol. by up).
- to go with a fling of the body: to toss out of a room in a fit of anger.
- He tossed off a cocktail before dinner.
- to accomplish quickly or easily.
- to consume rapidly, esp. to drink something up in one swallow:He tossed off a cocktail before dinner.
- Brit. Slang.to masturbate.
- See cookie (def. 6).
- to vomit.
—n.
- an act or instance of tossing.
- a pitching about or up and down.
- a throw or pitch.
- tossup (def. 1).
- the distance to which something is or may be thrown.
- a sudden fling or jerk of the body, esp. a quick upward or backward movement of the head.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.