different between toss vs soss

English

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.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /t?s/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /t?s/
• (cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA^(key): /t?s/
• Rhymes: -?s

Noun

toss (plural tosses)

1. A throw, a lob, of a ball etc., with an initial upward direction, particularly with a lack of care.
2. (cricket, soccer) 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. (British slang) A jot, in the phrase 'give a toss'.

   I couldn't give a toss about her.

5. (British slang) A state of agitation; commotion.
6. (Billingsgate Fish Market slang) A measure of sprats.

Derived terms

• argue the toss

Translations

Verb

toss (third-person singular simple present tosses, present participle tossing, simple past and past participle tossed or (obsolete) tost)

1. To throw with an initial upward direction.

2. To lift with a sudden or violent motion.

   • He tossed his arm aloft, and proudly told me, / He would not stay.

3. To agitate; to make restless.
4. To subject to trials; to harass.

   • Whom devils fly, thus is he tossed of men.

5. To flip a coin, to decide a point of contention.

6. (informal) To discard: to toss out

7. To stir or mix (a salad).

8. (British slang) To masturbate
9. (transitive, informal) To search (a room or a cell), sometimes leaving visible disorder, as for valuables or evidence of a crime.
10. (intransitive) To roll and tumble; to be in violent commotion.

11. (intransitive) To be tossed, as a fleet on the ocean, or as a ship in heavy seas.
12. (obsolete) To keep in play; to tumble over.

    (Can we find and add a quotation of Ascham to this entry?)

13. (rowing) To peak (the oars), to lift them from the rowlocks and hold them perpendicularly, the handle resting on the bottom of the boat.
14. (British slang) To drink in large draughts; to gulp.

Derived terms

• toss one's cookies
• tosser
• toss off
• tosspot
• toss in
• toss up
• toss and turn
• tosticated

Translations

Anagrams

• OSTs, SSTO, osts, sots

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s?s/

Etymology 1

From Middle English sosse, sos, soos (“hounds' meat; a mess of food”), of uncertain origin. See sesspool.

Alternative forms

• suss

Noun

soss (plural sosses)

1. (Britain, dialect) Anything dirty or muddy; a dirty puddle.

Verb

soss (third-person singular simple present sosses, present participle sossing, simple past and past participle sossed)

1. (Britain, dialect) To soil; to make dirty.

Etymology 2

Compare souse.

Verb

soss (third-person singular simple present sosses, present participle sossing, simple past and past participle sossed)

1. To fall suddenly into a chair or seat; to sit lazily.
   • 1723, Jonathan Swift, Stella at Wood Park

     sossing in an easy chair

2. To throw in a negligent or careless manner; to toss.
   • May 24 1711, Jonathan Swift, Journal to Stella – Letter 24

     the coach sosses up and down as one goes that way

Noun

soss (plural sosses)

1. (obsolete) A lazy fellow.
2. A heavy fall.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)

Anagrams

• OSS's, OSSs, SSOs

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Old High German sus. Cognate with German sonst.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /zos/
  • Rhymes: -os

Adverb

soss

1. otherwise
2. usually
3. elsewhere

Conjunction

soss

1. otherwise, or else

   Du muss dech fläissen, soss verpass du den Zuch.

   You must hurry up, or else you will miss the train.