toss

To toss something is to throw it lightly, quickly, or without much care. You might toss a salad, toss your keys onto the table, toss a coin to decide who goes first, or toss an idea around with friends. The word often suggests an easy, informal action rather than a strong or careful one. It can also mean throwing something away, as when you toss a piece of trash into the bin. In everyday English, it fits many small actions that feel quick and natural.

The word "toss" often describes a light, quick, and casual movement. It is usually not about power or precision, but about an easy motion. Think of a paper airplane: you do not send it forward with all your strength; you simply give it a light throw and let it glide.

As a verb, "toss" is very flexible. It can mean to throw something lightly into the air, to mix food gently, or to throw something away. It can also describe restless movement, as in "tossing and turning" in bed. In figurative use, people "toss around" ideas when they discuss them in an informal way, and they may "toss aside" something they no longer want or value. Across these uses, the word usually keeps the same feeling of lightness, speed, or lack of formality.

The word has been part of English for centuries, and it remains useful because it covers many ordinary actions. You can use it for a coin in the air, a quick mix of salad leaves, a shirt thrown onto a chair, or a sleepless person moving around in bed. That range is what makes it such a practical everyday word: the exact action changes, but the sense of something light, quick, or casual stays the same.