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Added 9 October 2026

toss

/tɒs/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about toss at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

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.

verb

To throw with an initial upward direction.
Toss it over here!
To lift with a sudden or violent motion.
to toss the head
To agitate; to make restless.

Origin

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”). The Welsh tos (“a quick jerk”) and tosio (“to jerk, toss”) are probably borrowed from the English.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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