What is "heads or tails"

Cross \Cross\ (kr[o^]s; 115), n. [OE. crois, croys, cros; the former fr. OF. crois, croiz, F. croix, fr. L. crux; the second is perh. directly fr. Prov. cros, crotz. fr. the same L. crux; cf. Icel. kross. Cf. Crucial, Crusade, Cruise, Crux.]

1. A gibbet, consisting of two pieces of timber placed transversely upon one another, in various forms, as a T, or +, with the horizontal piece below the upper end of the upright, or as an X. It was anciently used in the execution of criminals.

   Nailed to the cross By his own nation.
   --Milton.

2. The sign or mark of the cross, made with the finger, or in ink, etc., or actually represented in some material; the symbol of Christ's death; the ensign and chosen symbol of Christianity, of a Christian people, and of Christendom.

   The custom of making the sign of the cross with the hand or finger, as a means of conferring blessing or preserving from evil, is very old.
   --Schaff-Herzog Encyc.

   Before the cross has waned the crescent's ray.
   --Sir W. Scott.

   Tis where the cross is preached.
   --Cowper.

3. Affiction regarded as a test of patience or virtue; trial; disappointment; opposition; misfortune.

   Heaven prepares a good man with crosses.
   --B. Jonson.

4. A piece of money stamped with the figure of a cross, also, that side of such a piece on which the cross is stamped; hence, money in general.

   I should bear no cross if I did bear you; for I think you have no money in your purse.
   --Shak.

5. An appendage or ornament or anything in the form of a cross; a badge or ornamental device of the general shape of a cross; hence, such an ornament, even when varying considerably from that form; thus, the Cross of the British Order of St. George and St. Michael consists of a central medallion with seven arms radiating from it.

6. (Arch.) A monument in the form of a cross, or surmounted by a cross, set up in a public place; as, a market cross; a boundary cross; Charing Cross in London.

   Dun-Edin's Cross, a pillared stone, Rose on a turret octagon.
   --Sir W. Scott.

7. (Her.) A common heraldic bearing, of which there are many varieties. See the Illustration, above.

8. The crosslike mark or symbol used instead of a signature by those unable to write.

   Five Kentish abbesses . . . .subscribed their names and crosses.
   --Fuller.

9. Church lands. [Ireland] [Obs.]
   --Sir J. Davies.

10. A line drawn across or through another line.

11. Hence: A mixing of breeds or stock, especially in cattle breeding; or the product of such intermixture; a hybrid of any kind.

    Toning down the ancient Viking into a sort of a cross between Paul Jones and Jeremy Diddler.
    --Lord Dufferin.

12. (Surveying) An instrument for laying of offsets perpendicular to the main course.

13. (Mech.) A pipe-fitting with four branches the axes of which usually form's right angle.

    Cross and pile, a game with money, at which it is put to chance whether a coin shall fall with that side up which bears the cross, or the other, which is called pile, or reverse; the game called heads or tails.

    Cross bottony or

    Cross botton['e]. See under Bottony.

    Cross estoil['e] (Her.). a cross, each of whose arms is pointed like the ray of a star; that is, a star having four long points only.

    Cross of Calvary. See Calvary, 3.

    Southern cross. (Astron.) See under Southern.

    To do a thing on the cross, to act dishonestly; -- opposed to acting on the square. [Slang]

    To take up the cross, to bear troubles and afflictions with patience from love to Christ.

n. (context idiomatic English) The practice of flipping a coin in the air, to choose between two alternatives based on which side lands face up.

Heads or Tails'' (Spanish:Águila o sol'') is a 1937 film of the cinema of Mexico.

This was Mariano Moreno’s a.k.a. Cantinflas's third film and the second in a row with co-star Manuel Medel. After the completion of the film and with the help of Mendel,an already accomplished actor, Cantinflas decided to pursue a career of his own. The film was written, adapted and directed by Russian-born Arcady Boytler. The movie was placed on the 84th spot among the 100 best movies of the cinema of Mexico, a list created by Mexican film experts.

Heads or Tails is a 1997 Quebec comedy film directed by Claude Fournier and starring Roy Dupuis and Patrick Huard

Heads or Tails is a 2005 film written and directed by Joey McAdams and Clark Kline. Produced by Fool Martyr Productions, the film stars Jeff Keilholtz, Douglas Cathro and Jon Liddiard.

The screenplay was adapted from a short story Kline wrote in 1994. Shooting began in September 2003 with a script that was shrouded in secrecy even from cast and crew, as each were given the day's lines on the day a scene was to be shot. Its premiere gala acreening was at The Weinberg Center for the Arts in February 2005. A review by Courtney Oates of The Flow magazine describes Heads or Tails as an "incredibly unique story of murder, myths and mania." It was released to DVD in the spring of 2008.

Heads or Tails refers to practice of Coin flipping

It may also refer to:

• Heads or Tails (1937 film), English title for Mexican film Águila o sol directed by Arcady Boytler
• Heads or Tails (1969 film), a 1969 Spaghetti Western film
• Heads or Tails (1982 film), English title for Testa o croce, a 1982 Italian comedy film written and directed by Nanni Loy
• Heads or Tails (1983 film), Yugoslav title for Pismo - Glava, a 1983 drama film directed by Bahrudin Čengić
• Heads or Tails (1997 film), English title for J'en suis!, a 1997 film directed by Claude Fournier
• Heads or Tails (2005 film), a 2005 feature film written and directed by Joey McAdams and Clark Kline
• Heads or Tails (game show), a 2010 British game show hosted by Justin Lee Collins and broadcast by Channel 5
• Heads or Tails?, English title of Indian Telugu language film Bomma Borusa directed by K. Balachander
• Heads or Tails?, an album by Sowelu