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Glite Dictionary
🤾 To throw lightly 🥗 To mix food 🌊 To move wildly 🪙 To flip a coin 🪙 A coin flip 🤾 A short throw 🙆 A quick movement
toss

toss

7 2.0
A quick movement of the head or body
  • noun
  • /tɔs/
translation icon : sacudida
  • A backward toss of the head? I know it.
  • head toss
  • hair toss
  • a quick toss

Examples

  • "Let's get out of here." Rick indicated the overhead light with a toss of his head.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Allegra gave a dismissive toss of her head.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Irate eyes and the toss of the head.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • The man seemed disinterested but nodded and indicated with a toss of his head that Michael should find a seat.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • "We want things to look festive, Sparhawk," she replied with an airy little toss of her head.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • With a devil-may-care toss of her head, Casi swung the clothes bag behind her and opened the door.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Tell me about Yuki, she demands, with a toss of her lush cocoa-brown hair.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • "With a toss of her head, Cara flicked her blond braid back over her shoulder.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • After her friend insulted her, she responded with a toss of her head, signaling her disapproval.

  • The model gave a quick toss of her long hair before stepping onto the runway.

Synonyms

flip
vstoss
31 2.6

A quick toss or turn of something

is focused on abrupt head or body motion instead of turning or passing objects
flick
vstoss
24 3.0

A quick light movement made with a hand or finger

is a more abrupt or larger body motion rather than a light touch
flit
vstoss
1 7.4

A sudden quick movement like a bird or insect passing

is a single abrupt motion of head or body rather than fluttering away
jounce
vstoss
9.9

A sudden jolt that makes things shake

is an abrupt quick motion without the heavy jolt or impact

Antonyms

to steady
41 3.4

To make yourself or something stop moving

Idioms

to lock up and toss the key
  • Informal
9.3

Put someone in prison and never let them leave

to toss a quid
  • UK
9.9

To throw a one-pound coin into water for luck

Compounds

toss-up
  • Informal
20 6.2

A situation where two results have the same chance

coin toss
17 2.4

A way to decide something by flipping a coin and seeing which side lands up

toss of a coin
1 2.9

A way to decide between two options by flipping a coin

charity toss
  • US
2.7

A shot from the foul line that a player takes after a foul without anyone trying to stop it

pitch and toss
  • Archaic
9.7

A game where players throw coins at a mark and the closest wins

toss bombing
  • Specialized
9.9

A way of dropping a bomb by flying low, pulling up, and releasing it so it flies farther

How Abrupt

to fling
16 4.1
lunge
4 4.9
jerk
7 2.2
toss
7 2.0
flick
24 3.0

Surface Forms

toss singular
tosses plural

Etymology

Toss for a sudden movement comes from the verb for a quick, sharp throw or jerk. So a toss of the head or arm is a brief, sudden motion.