toast

¹

[tohst]

noun

1. sliced bread that has been browned by dry heat.

verb (used with object)

1. to brown, as bread or cheese, by exposure to heat.

2. to heat or warm thoroughly at a fire.

   She toasted her feet at the fireplace.

verb (used without object)

1. to become toasted.

toast

²

[tohst]

noun

1. a salutation or a few words of congratulation, good wishes, appreciation, remembrance, etc., uttered immediately before drinking to a person, event, etc.

2. a person, event, sentiment, or the like, in honor of whom another or others raise their glasses in salutation and then drink.

3. an act or instance of thus drinking.

   They drank a toast to the queen.

4. a call on another or others to drink to some person or thing.

5. a person who is celebrated as with the spirited homage of a toast.

   She was the toast of five continents.

verb (used with object)

1. to drink to the health of or in honor of; propose a toast to or in honor of.

2. to propose as a toast.

verb (used without object)

1. to propose or drink a toast.

toast

¹

/ təʊst /

noun

1. a tribute or proposal of health, success, etc, given to a person or thing by a company of people and marked by raising glasses and drinking together

2. a person or thing honoured by such a tribute or proposal

3. (esp formerly) an attractive woman to whom such tributes are frequently made

   she was the toast of the town

verb

1. to propose or drink a toast to (a person or thing)

2. (intr) to add vocal effects to a prerecorded track: a disc-jockey technique See also rap 1

toast

²

/ təʊst /

noun

1. sliced bread browned by exposure to heat, usually under a grill, over a fire, or in a toaster

2. informal,  to face certain destruction or defeat

verb

1. (tr) to brown under a grill or over a fire

   to toast cheese

2. to warm or be warmed in a similar manner

   to toast one's hands by the fire

Other Word Forms

• toaster noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of toast¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb tosten, from Old French toster, from Vulgar Latin tostāre (unattested), derivative of Latin tostus (from unattested torstos ), past participle of torrēre “to parch, roast”, akin to Gothic thaursus, Old Norse thurr “dry”; noun derivative of the verb; torrid; thirst ( def. )

Origin of toast²

First recorded in 1690–1700; figurative use of toast ¹ (noun); the name of a lady so honored was said to give flavor to the drink comparable to that given by spiced toast

Word History and Origins

Origin of toast¹

C17 (in the sense: a lady to whom the company is asked to drink): from _toast ¹ ,from the idea that the name of the lady would flavour the drink like a piece of spiced toast

Origin of toast²

C14: from Old French toster, from Latin tōstus parched, baked from torrēre to dry with heat; see _thirst , _torrid

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. be toast, to be doomed, ruined, or in trouble.

   If you're late to work again, you're toast!

see warm as toast.

Example Sentences

Avocado toast has become synonymous with the millennial generation but it relies on the main ingredient being soft enough for smashing.

From BBC

President Xi gave a toast to say the world must "never return to the law of the jungle".

From BBC

When I visited Salazar’s final resting place in 2020, I brought a bottle of Manzanilla to toast the hard-charging bon vivant’s memory and ask for his blessing in my new role.

From Los Angeles Times

Before the game, Hamilton players were treated to a spaghetti and toasted sourdough bread dinner created by the mother of 285-pound tackle Micah Butler, Natasha, an executive chef.

From Los Angeles Times

Like the kids, their leather is leaky, their arms are toast, their best hitter is their best pitcher, their silly celebrations are pure playground — shimmy shakes and sunflower seed showers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crisp 
• dry 
• grill 
• roast 
• warm