toast1
n.
- sliced bread browned on both sides by exposure to radiant heat.
- an act or instance of raising glasses at a gathering and drinking together in honour of a person or thing.
▸a person who is toasted or held in high regard:
he was the toast of the baseball world.
v.
- cook or brown by exposure to radiant heat.
▸warm (oneself or part of one's body) beside a fire or other source or heat.
- drink a toast to.
Phrase
- be toast
informal, chiefly N. Amer. be finished, defunct, or dead. - have someone on toast
Brit. informal be in a position to deal with someone as one wishes.
Derivative
History
The verb toast entered Middle English meaning ‘burn as the sun does, parch’; it came from Old French toster ‘roast’, from Latin torrere ‘parch’ (past participle tostus). The notion of drinking a toast goes back to the late 17th century, and originated in the practice of naming a lady whose health the company was requested to drink; the lady's name was supposed to flavour the drink like the pieces of spiced toast that were formerly added to wine.
toast2
v.
(of a DJ) accompany a reggae backing track or music with improvised rhythmic speech.
Derivative
Etymology
1970s: perh. the same word as toast1.