# toss

> English word · Noun · IPA /tɒs/ · frequency rank #8,220

## Definitions
1. A throw, a lob, of a ball etc., with an initial upward direction, particularly with a lack of care.
2. 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.
3. A haughty throwing up of the head.
4. Concern or consideration.
5. A state of agitation; commotion.
6. A measure of sprats.
7. A handover from one presenter to another, announced by the first presenter.
8. Nonsense; drivel.
9. An act of masturbation.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **TS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-ts)
- **toy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-toy)
- **tow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tow)
- **TSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tsa)
- **tot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tot)
- **tsk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tsk)
- **tse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tse)
- **TPS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tps)
- **TSM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tsm)
- **TOV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tov)
- **tss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tss)
- **Tsu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tsu)
- **town** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-town)
- **tour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tour)
- **toys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-toys)
- **tote** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tote)
- **tout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tout)
- **tres** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tres)
- **tris** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tris)
- **tusk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-tusk)

## Common misspellings (3)
`otss`, `tsos`, `ttoss`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/toss