to toss off
1
8.4
- phrasal verb
- /tɔs ɔf/
- Informal
- Shortly after the officer left, however, Lao Zhong tossed off his third glassful and turned to a woman sitting nearby.
Examples
-
He was pleased to see Rhoodie toss off half his glass at a swallow; wine might help loosen the fellow's tongue.
Fiction book (1992) -
Old Milija tossed off the third, shuddered convulsively, and banged the glass down hard.
Fiction book (1997) -
The two of them toss off what's in their glasses.
Fiction book (1992) -
To Felicia!" She tossed off a swig and wiggled her fingers goodbye.
Fiction book (1993) -
He tossed off his drink in one swift motion before leaving the party.
-
After a toast, she tossed off her shot of whiskey with a grin.
-
They all tossed off their cocktails at once, celebrating the end of the week.
Synonyms
161
5.4
Eat or drink something quickly and completely
49
1.4
To finish all the liquid in a cup or bottle so nothing is left
29
5.0
To drink something quickly in large gulps
11
3.2
To empty a glass quickly in one long gulp
6
7.5
To drink a lot quickly, usually alcoholic drinks
6
9.9
To drink something very quickly in one go
6
6.7
To drink a large amount quickly in one swallow
2
8.2
To drink an alcoholic drink quickly
1
5.7
To drink all of a glass or bottle quickly in one go
1
8.5
Drink an alcoholic drink or bottle completely in one session
1
8.9
Make a hole in a can and drink it very quickly
1
8.0
To drink a lot very quickly, often alcohol
1
3.7
To eat or drink very quickly, often without chewing
1
8.5
To drink quickly, often alcohol
1
9.9
To drink alcohol very quickly in one go
To drink a liquid quickly in big gulps, often alcohol
Antonyms
How Quickly
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'to produce something quickly and with little effort' is a metaphorical extension of 'toss' (to throw casually) with 'off' adding a sense of quick completion or detachment, so a learner who knows the parts could plausibly infer a casual/quick action. However, applying that casual throwing metaphor to producing writing or work is somewhat conventionalized and not fully predictable without exposure, so it is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Toss off may come from the image of quickly throwing a drink down, where the parts toss and off give the idea of a fast 'throw away'. That's why it means 'to drink something quickly and in one go'.