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Toss vs Cling - What's the difference?

toss | cling |

In lang=en terms the difference between toss and cling

is that toss is to be tossed, as a fleet on the ocean while cling is to cause to dry up or wither.

As nouns the difference between toss and cling

is that toss is a throw, a lob, of a ball etc, with an initial upward direction, particularly with a lack of care while cling is fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit.

As verbs the difference between toss and cling

is that toss is to throw with an initial upward direction while cling is (senseid)to hold very tightly, as to not fall off.

toss

English

Noun

(es)
  • A throw, a lob, of a ball etc., with an initial upward direction, particularly with a lack of care.
  • (cricket, football) The toss of a coin before a cricket match in order to decide who bats first, or before a football match in order to decide the direction of play.
  • (British, slang) A jot, in the phrase 'give a toss'.
  • I couldn't give a toss about her.

    Derived terms

    * argue the toss

    Verb

  • To throw with an initial upward direction.
  • Toss it over here!
  • To lift with a sudden or violent motion.
  • to toss the head
  • * Addison
  • He tossed his arm aloft, and proudly told me, / He would not stay.
  • To agitate; to make restless.
  • * Milton
  • Calm region once, / And full of peace, now tossed and turbulent.
  • To subject to trials; to harass.
  • * Herbert
  • Whom devils fly, thus is he tossed of men.
  • To flip a coin, to decide a point of contention.
  • I'll toss you for it.
  • To discard: to toss out
  • ''I don't need it anymore, you can just toss it.
  • To stir or mix (a salad).
  • to toss''' a salad; a '''tossed salad.
  • (British, vulgar, slang) To masturbate
  • (informal) To search (a room or a cell), sometimes leaving visible disorder, as for valuables or evidence of a crime.
  • "Someone tossed just his living room and bedroom." / "They probably found what they were looking for."
  • * 2003 , Joseph Wambaugh, Fire Lover , p. 258:
  • John Orr had occasion to complain in writing to the senior supervisor that his Playboy and Penthouse magazines had been stolen by deputies. And he believed that was what prompted a random search of his cell for contraband. He was stripped, handcuffed, and forced to watch as they tossed his cell .
  • * 2009 , , Red Dragon :
  • Rankin and Willingham, when they tossed his cell , they took Polaroids so they could get everything back in place.
  • * 2011 , Linda Howard, Kill and Tell: A Novel :
  • Hayes had watched him toss a room before. He had tapped walls, gotten down on his hands and knees and studied the floor, inspected books and lamps and bric-abrac.
  • To roll and tumble; to be in violent commotion.
  • tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep
  • To be tossed, as a fleet on the ocean.
  • (Shakespeare)
  • (obsolete) To keep in play; to tumble over.
  • to spend four years in tossing the rules of grammar
    (Ascham)
  • To peak (the oars), to lift them from the rowlocks and hold them perpendicularly, the handle resting on the bottom of the boat.
  • See also

    * tosser * toss off * toss in * toss and turn

    Anagrams

    * * *

    cling

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit.
  • * 1908 , , Hostages to Momus :
  • Antelope steaks and fried liver to begin on, and venison cutlets with chili con carne and pineapple fritters, and then some sardines and mixed pickles; and top it off with a can of yellow clings and a bottle of beer.
  • adherence; attachment; devotion
  • * Milton
  • A more tenacious cling to worldly respects.

    Verb

  • (senseid)To hold very tightly, as to not fall off.
  • Seaweed clung to the anchor.
  • * Mrs. Hemans
  • And what hath life for thee / That thou shouldst cling to it thus?
  • To adhere to an object, without being affixed, in such a way as to follow its contours. Used especially of fabrics and films.
  • To cause to adhere to, especially by twining round or embracing.
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • I clung legs as close to his side as I could.
  • To cause to dry up or wither.
  • * Shakespeare
  • If thou speak'st false, / Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive, / Till famine cling thee.
  • (figurative, with preposition to) to be fond of, to feel strongly about
  • Derived terms

    * cling film / clingfilm

    References

    * * * Notes: English irregular verbs