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He glanced at the letter and then tossed it into the bin.; Andrew tossed him the ball.; They tossed the beggars a few coins.; I tossed a few clothes into a suitcase.

to throw something carelessly

a tossed salad; carrots tossed in butter; I tossed the salad.

When you toss food, you gently mix small pieces of it together or with a sauce

She tossed her head in annoyance.; She tossed back her hair.; The girl tossed her hair out of her eyes.

If you toss your hair or your head, you move it suddenly

I was tossing and turning all night.

Let's toss (a coin) to see who'll go first.; "I'll toss you for it - heads or tails?"

"I don't care," she replied with a toss of her head.

We tossed to see who would go first.

It's a toss-up between Angela and Moira for the editor's job.; It was a toss-up who would win, right to the end of the game.

a situation in which two possibilities are equally likely

Some of us have been tossing around suggestions for improving the show.

She tossed off a reply to the letter before she left for the meeting.

to do something quickly, easily, and almost without paying attention

She tossed out my old chair.; The case was finally tossed out of court.

to get rid of or remove something

She threw $2 million in energy stock overboard and bought computer shares instead.

Someone had fallen overboard.

I don't think there'll be more than six people eating, so I wouldn't go overboard with the food.; I think I went overboard cooking this dinner – there is enough to feed a dozen people.

That much money is not to be tossed away lightly.

I don't give a toss what he thinks.

It doesn't matter what you say, he'll always argue the toss!

You've won again, you lucky beggar.; Those children have been running about in my rose garden again, the little beggars (= annoying people)!

His cruelty beggared belief/description.

I would have preferred a house of my own rather than sharing, but beggars can't be choosers, I suppose.

This note is just to give you a heads-up that Vicky will be arriving next week.; We've given everybody a heads-up that we're not prepared to work without a contract.

a warning or piece of advice about something so that you are prepared for it

The boss called a meeting to give us a heads-up on the way the project was going.; The company CEO recently visited City Hall to provide an early heads-up on the project.

I just wanted to give you all a heads up that we will be talking about the first two chapters of the book tomorrow.

He was approached to head up Barclays' investment banking business.

head sth up - mainly US - to lead or control a group, part of a company, etc. - He headed up a Miami-based legal team.

Big oil company suppliers are warning that prices are heading up further.

Traders who think a particular company's shares are headed down make a profit by borrowing stock and selling it.

Most of the crowned heads of Europe have been entertained in this palace.

Both sides have signed heads of agreement with a view to a long-standing partnership.

Police tried to head off the bank robbers at the next exit.

The team would help developing countries head off such disasters.; The company is putting up wages to head off a strike.; The Federal Reserve was accused of failing to head off a crisis in home mortgages.; head off recession/inflation/legislation, etc.

to prevent a difficult or unpleasant situation from happening

I tried to head the dog off by running towards it.

What time are you heading off?

The country is heading for recession.; I've told him that he's heading for trouble, but he doesn't listen - it's just water off a duck's back.; I've heard a whisper that they're heading for divorce.

I've told him that he's heading for trouble, but he doesn't listen - it's just water off a duck's back.

If we can put our heads together we'll figure out a way to deal with this.; If we put our heads together, we can think of a solution.

If two or more people put their heads together, they plan something together

I can't make head nor tail of these instructions on the packet.; We couldn’t make heads or tails of your directions.

US also - can't make heads or tails of sth

It was obvious she had broken her toe, because it immediately started to swell (up).; Tourists swell the local population during the summer months.; My arm swelled up where I was stung by a bee.;

to become larger and rounder; The banks of the river were swollen with the increased rainfall.; literary - His heart/breast swelled with pride (= he felt very proud) as he stood watching his son graduate.

ocean swells

the slow up and down movement of a long, smooth wave or series of waves in the sea

If music swells, it becomes louder

They were mostly working-class guys trying to be comfortable among the swells.

That's a swell idea!; The food was good and the service was swell.

excellent; very good

Everything's going swell.

There is a groundswell of opinion against the new rules.

Don't compliment him any more, or he'll get a swollen head.

I didn't know how to mention it without sounding swollen-headed.; They are swollen-headed semi-intellectuals.

He's always boasting. He's such a bighead!

He didn't talk about his exam results in case people thought he was boasting.; Britain's best-known ticket tout once boasted that he could get you tickets for anything.;

After boasting that his company could outperform the industry's best, he's been forced to eat humble pie.; He's always boasting about his sexual prowess.

Ireland boasts beautiful beaches, great restaurants, and friendly locals.

It was his proud boast that he had run over 20 marathons.

Luck, misleading and alluring, favored Jack for a while, transforming him until he was radiant, boastful, exultant.

having a tendency to praise yourself and what you have done

tout the benefits of sth - He appears in ads touting the benefits of leasing corporate jets.; Several insurance companies tout their services on local radio.

He is being widely touted as the company's next CEO.

Hundreds of taxis at the airport tout for business.

The President was in Ohio on Saturday, touting his accomplishments and urging supporters to re-elect him.; The minister has been touting these ideas for some time.

£30 seats for the match were being touted for £500.

Britain's best-known ticket tout once boasted that he could get you tickets for anything.

Ticket touts are asking €500 a seat.

take a scalp - They are expected to take some important scalps in the election.

He's made one mistake too many, and now they're out for his scalp.; The other Democrats should be after his scalp.

to want to defeat or punish someone in some way, especially to make them lose their job

They are trying to make incremental profits by scalping shares.

We plan to make incremental improvements to our existing products.; It is possible to negotiate a payment program to cover late taxes incrementally.

Staff receive incremental pay increases as they improve their knowledge and expertise.

The company generates incremental revenue through new contracts.

You will receive annual salary/pay increments every September.; The speed of the machine can be increased by small increments.

She has considerable expertise in French history.; Software is not really my area of expertise.

He exhibited considerable skill in driving through the snowstorm.; Technology has advanced considerably since then.

The difference between the two products is negligible.; My knowledge of German is negligible.

negligibly - adverb

a sherry trifle

I brought a few trifles back from India - pieces of jewellery and fabric mainly.; It was such a trifling sum of money to argue about.

I'm a trifle confused about the arrangements for tonight.; He admits to being a trifle nervous before every show.

He trifled with her affections (= feelings).; As you know, Caroline O'Neill is not a woman to be trifled with.

apple pie and custard

a soft, usually sweet food made from a mixture of eggs, milk, flavoring, and sugar

pie pastry

We were offered a selection of cakes and pastries with our tea.; We were offered a selection of pastries for dessert.

sweet, baked food made of a mixture of flour, fat, and water and often filled with fruit or cream

dry, flaky skin; a flaky scalp

breaking or separating easily into small thin pieces

The central character of the play is a flaky neurotic.

crazy or eccentric

They were showing off, trying to pull doughnuts.

bread dough; pastry dough; She kneaded the dough and left it to rise.

flour mixed with water and other food substances so that it is ready for baking esp. into bread or pastry

a chunk/pile/mound of dough

The VATman forced her business into liquidation by obliging her to pay £63,000 in unpaid tax.

The company was forced into liquidation.

Investors have started to liquidate their mutual funds.

They were required to liquidate the debt within 30 days of the date due.