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to toss together

to toss together

2 3.4
Mix a few ingredients quickly without much preparation
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : mezclar
  • It's very metro-influenced, and the Hulu team even tossed together a demo video of the service (it's still not available yet in our Windows 8 Store).
  • toss together in a bowl
  • toss together a salad
  • toss together tomatoes

Examples

  • The result is that everything is ready to toss together for a quick meal, so I don't use the excuse of "I don't have 40 minutes to cook rice tonight" and so we eat out instead.

    Blog text (6)
  • Add the salt and pepper and toss them all together to mix well.

    Blog text (19)
  • As I explained on the site when I tossed it together,

    Blog text (30)
  • Directions: Toss ingredients together to taste.

    Blog text (34)
  • "When an old uncle died, and he was the last of that generation, it occurred to me then, when I looked over all his photographs and memorabilia that were tossed together, I suppose he, like most of us, had decided he would set everything in order, but he died before he set it in order."

    Academic text (1998)
  • Toss the mixture together with a spatula until it starts clumping together.

    Blog text (19)
  • One can't talk about anything, especially something as complicated as the human landscape, if one looks at it simply as a kind of goulash of miscellaneous objects, all tossed together in no special order.

    Academic text (1998)
  • I did some cooking a few years back for a local ranch during haying season, and the crew at the time were absolutely thrilled whenever I tossed together meals that didn't include beef.

    Blog text (17)
  • In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, red onion, chopped lettuce, and dressing.

  • To assemble the salad, toss together the greens, tomatoes, jalapenos, bell pepper, cilantro, beans, and cheese.

Synonyms

to mix
vsto toss together
416 1.0

To combine two or more things so they become one

adds the idea of doing this quickly and casually rather than generally
to stir
vsto toss together
152 1.0

To mix a liquid by moving it with a spoon

is more casual and faster than this steady, controlled motion
to toss
vsto toss together
136 1.8

To lift and turn food gently to mix it

is about doing that quickly and casually rather than carefully
to whip up
vsto toss together
62 3.0

To quickly make food with little effort

is similar but focuses on quick mixing rather than full cooking
to mix in
vsto toss together
39 1.8

To add something to food and stir so it becomes part of the food

is about doing such combining quickly and without careful technique
to mingle
vsto toss together
34 3.3

Mix together so things join and are hard to tell apart

focuses instead on a quick, casual combination rather than thorough merging
to throw together
vsto toss together
  • Informal
22 3.5

Make something quickly without much care or planning

applies specifically to quickly combining ingredients rather than general making
to concoct
vsto toss together
7 6.3

Make food or drink by mixing different ingredients

is similar but stresses speed and casualness over deliberate preparation
to commingle
vsto toss together
5 7.4

To mix different things into one

is less formal and stresses quick casual mixing rather than blending
to slap together
vsto toss together
  • Informal
3 6.0

Make something quickly without caring about details

in contrast focuses on casual quick combining of ingredients rather than assembly
to blend in
vsto toss together
3 3.3

Mix one ingredient into others until the mixture is smooth

is looser and faster, not aiming for an even, careful result
to knock together
vsto toss together
  • UK
1 4.9

Make something quickly that will not last long

is about quick, casual combining of ingredients, not just makeshift building
to clap together
vsto toss together
  • UK
6.8

To make something quickly and without care using what you have

means combining ingredients fast and simply rather than improvised construction
to fudge together
vsto toss together
  • Informal
7.4

Make something quickly and carelessly using what you have

is narrower, referring to quick informal combining of food ingredients

How Careful

to prepare
374 1.0
to assemble
169 2.9
to mix
416 1.0
to toss together
  • Informal
2 3.4

Surface Forms

toss together infinitive
tossed together past participle
tossing together present participle
tosses together third person singular

Morphology

toss + together

The meaning 'mix ingredients quickly and casually' is directly derivable from 'toss' (to lift/turn or throw lightly, often used for mixing) combined with 'together' (into one group). This composition follows a transparent, literal cooking-action pattern that a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer.

Etymology

Toss together comes from the picture of quickly throwing food into a bowl and giving it a few light flips, with the parts toss meaning 'to throw' and together meaning 'into one'. So, it means 'to mix ingredients quickly and casually'.