mid-15c., "to lift or throw with a sudden movement," of uncertain origin, possibly from a Scandinavian source (compare dialectal Norwegian tossa "to strew, spread"). Food preparation sense (with reference to salad, etc.) is recorded from 1723. Intransitive sense "be restless; throw oneself about" is from 1550s. Related: Tossed; tossing.
c. 1300, "mantle fastener," from Old French tassel "tassel, fringe, hem; a fastening, clasp" (12c., Modern French tasseau), from Vulgar Latin *tassellus, said to be from Latin taxillus "small die or cube," a diminutive of talus "knucklebone (used as a die in gaming), ankle" (see talus (n.1)). But OED finds this doubtful and calls attention to the variant form tossel and suggests association with toss (v.). Meaning "hanging bunch of small cords" is first recorded late 14c.
1810, from pitch (v.1) + toss (v.).
A game in which the players pitch coins at a mark, that one whose coin lies nearest to the mark having the privilege of tossing up all the coins together and retaining all the coins that come down " head " up. The next nearest player tosses those that are left, and retains all that come down "head" up, and so on until the coins are all gone. [Century Dictionary]
1787, shie, "throw a missile with a jerk or toss," 1787, chiefly colloquial according to OED, of obscure origin and uncertain connection to shy (adj.). The transitive sense of "fling, throw, toss" (with at) is by 1793. Related: Shied; shying.
"slight blow under the chin," 1610s, from chuck (v.1). Meaning "a toss, a throw" is from 1862.
c. 1600, "to cover with or as with a blanket;" also "to toss in a blanket" (as punishment), from blanket (n.). Related: Blanketed; blanketing.
