[f. phr. to toss a pot, TOSS v. 10 b.] One accustomed to toss off his pot of drink; a heavy drinker; a toper, drunkard.
1568. Fulwel, Like Will to Like, D j b. I wil pledge Tom tospot, til I be as drunk as a mouse a.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades (1592), 153. Come not in companie of blasphemous tossepots.
1674. Josselyn, Voy. New Eng. (1675), 76. The eggs of an owl put into the liquor that a tospot useth to be drunk with, will make him loathe drunkenness.
1809. W. Irving, Knickerb., VI. v. (1861), 204. They were sturdy toss-pots of yore.
1890. Besant, Demoniac, iv. He is … a brother tosspot.
b. Comb., as Tosspotlike adv.
1580. H. Gifford, Gilloflowers (1875), 150. Doste thinke that such as tospotlike Set all at sixe and seuen, Are in a ready way to bring Their sinfull soules to heauen?
