toadstone

American

[tohd-stohn] / ˈtoʊdˌstoʊn /

noun

any of various stones or stonelike objects, formerly supposed to have been formed in the head or body of a toad, worn as jewels or amulets.

toadstone British

/ ˈtəʊdˌstəʊn /

noun

rare an amygdaloidal basalt occurring in the limestone regions of Derbyshire

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of toadstone

First recorded in 1550–60; toad + stone

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

toadstone

Last of all he showed me a toadstone amulet set in silver, a charm to prevent and ward off the spells of fairies.

From The Heather-Moon by A. M. (Alice Muriel) Williamson

"A toadstone, I suppose?" replied Sir Ronald, lightly.

From Heiress of Haddon by William E. Doubleday

Friar John singled him out of the whole knot of these rogues in grain, a red-snouted catchpole, who upon his right thumb wore a thick broad silver hoop, wherein was set a good large toadstone.

From Gargantua and Pantagruel, Illustrated, Book 4 by Peter Anthony Motteux

Popular names for them are "whinstone," "greenstone," "toadstone" and "trap."

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 3 "Destructors" to "Diameter" by Various

At last he, with a low courtesy, put on her medical finger a pretty handsome golden ring, whereinto was right artificially enchased a precious toadstone of Beausse.

From Gargantua and Pantagruel, Illustrated, Book 3 by Peter Anthony Motteux

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023