tosser
(ˈtɒsə(r), -ɔː-)
[f. toss v. + -er1.]
1. a. One who or that which tosses. Also with adv.
| 1612 T. Taylor Comm. Titus ii. 12 (1619) 475 Scoffers of such as walke in these straite waies of God, tossers of reproaches against them. 1623 Fletcher & Rowley Maid in Mill ii. ii, As satisfaction to the blustring god, To send his tossers forth. 1837 New Monthly Mag. LI. 195 Ticket-porters are..such..tossers-off of beer. 1846 Mrs. Gore Eng. Char. (1852) 109 The hapless tosser-up of omelets. 1896 A. Morrison Child of the Jago 130 The last of the tossers stuffed away his coppers. 1905 Daily Chron. 7 Sept. 4/4 As a caber tosser he has never been equalled. |
b. [Prob. f. sense 13 d of the vb.] A term of contempt or abuse for a person; a ‘jerk’. Cf. bugger n. 2 b. slang.
| 1977 Zigzag Apr. 40/3 She came on in a big mac and flashed her legs like an old tosser before throwing it off. 1983 P. Inchbald Short Break in Venice xviii. 172 It's a right pig's job... Poor little tosser. As if he wasn't suffering enough already. |
2. A cooking-vessel, a tossing-pan.
| 1884 Hand & Heart Oct. 123/2 Cut the other parts in small bits, put them in a small tosser with a grate of nutmeg, the least white pepper and salt,..simmer a few minutes before you fill. |
3. A penny, a coin of small value. Cf. toss v. 9, toss n.1 6 c.
| 1935 [see carve-up]. 1964 J. Aiken Black Hearts in Battersea (1965) vi. 70 Shall we play for money?.. I haven't a tosser to my kick. 1966 New Statesman 4 Nov. 662/1 There's no one mumming today whose opinion is worth a tosser on the cut of a dressing-gown. 1980 J. Gerson Assassination Run xi. 158 Your people don't give a tosser for me! |