动词 toss 的意思是扔，掷。如果某个形势被形容为 a toss-up, 那么就意味着两种不同结果发生的几率是一样的。

 

例句

 

It's a toss-up between pancakes and risotto tonight. I'm not sure what to cook yet.

 

We haven't recruited a presenter¹ yet, but it's a toss-up between Sarah and Julie.

 

My boyfriend doesn't know what he wants for his birthday yet. It's a toss-up between a new mobile phone and an e-reader.

 

请注意

 

The expression 'toss up' comes from the habit of tossing a coin in the air and guessing whether it will fall on 'heads' or 'tails' when we want to decide between alternatives. For example:

 

短语 toss up 的由来是以前人们把硬币抛向空中，然后猜一猜是正面 heads 还是背面 tails 朝上。人们往往用这种方式来决定作出哪种选择来解决问题。比如:

 

My friend wanted to go to the cinema but I really wanted to go ice-skating instead. We tossed a coin to decide: I chose 'heads' and won!

 

Neither of them wanted to do the washing up, so they tossed a coin. They decided² if it landed on 'heads' she would have to do it, and if it landed on 'tails' he would.

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